


Smiles All Around

by MitzyBlue



Series: The Boneyard Medic [2]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood and Torture, Blood and Violence, I hope you're still clapping, M/M, Physical Disability, Rated For Violence, Slow Burn, because we're still gonna be vigilantes, kidnapping (again)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-05-31 16:02:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15122963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MitzyBlue/pseuds/MitzyBlue
Summary: The continued story of a mutant displaced from his own dimension and his terrifying adventures with his new family.  Now our brave babe tackles fatherhood. CAN HE SUCCEED OR WILL HE FAIL?! I'm joking. Bones is a great dad and the terrors he now calls kids are amazing. If you can suffer a little horror and emotional scarring then read this next adventure!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo this is the next arc in the Boneyard medic. Honestly this story and these characters are such a joy to write and I hope yall like them as much as I do.

 

**~~~ Several months Later ~~~**

 

Bones held back a tired sigh as he hung up his apron into the small locker that had been assigned to him. After hanging up the apron, he rubbed a hand over the still healing mark on his chest. Even with his abilities, the healing had been oddly slow but he was alive and that was what counted. More-so when it meant that the children were okay. It was the thought that stuck with him nearly every day since they got Cael back.

As he closed the door, he caught sight of himself in the small mirror. He looked… normal. At Calamity’s insistence and with Chloe’s help he’d dyed his hair a rich black that covered his mutant silver and red strands. Even his beard had been dyed though some of it had faded to a rather stately looking salt and pepper. He didn’t care for it but it brought in good tips and honestly that was all that mattered. 

“Hey, Bones,”  one of the asari waitresses-- Rhia if he remembered her name correctly-- gave a small wave before sauntering over to lean on one of the lockers nearby. “You off?”

He nodded, closing the door to his locker after tucking a datapad and his drink-mix notes into his day-bag. “Yes. Did Stymml need something?”

She tittered an annoying laugh that customers seemed to love as she waved the question away. “No, but I saw we had the same day off and I was wondering if you wanted--”

“DAD!”

_ Saved by the bells _ , he thought as he turned away from the encroaching awkward situation. The kids all scrabbled past the bouncer who was looking rather harried and surged towards him. “Dad, Haron is having a barbeque tonight! Zaeed’s gonna be there, can we go? Please? Can we?”

Bones flashed Rhia a smile. “Uh, lovely talking with you, gotta-go-buhbye,” his words ran together as he herded the kids back out the door and past the scowling face of his rather humorless new salarian boss, Stymml.

“We talk outside,” Bones said as he ushered them forward, “Go, go, go.”

“Wait,” Calamity lingered and tugged at his tunic as she looked back, “Wait, were you talking to her?”

Bones managed to scoot them all around some incoming customers and out the door before he answered. “I work with her.”

“She had flirt face.”

“Do they sell creams for that?”

Niia giggled. She was still a quiet child, only really speaking on rare occasions but she’d been getting better and opening up more now that she was in school. They’d struggled most the first couple weeks after the incident with the salarian. She’d had nightmares that she’d wake screaming from. Both he and Cael had spent a great deal of time sitting up with her in their new apartment as they tried to soothe away the fears. 

Once they were out from the restaurant's entrance and walking down the path Bones asked, “So, school?”

Calamity huffed and held out her hand with the new omnitool that Zaeed had very surprisingly helped her get, a little affirmation blinked in the hologram. “We went. See? Don’t get your knickers in a knot.”

“And?” He prompted.

“And do you like her?”

Bones grimaced when he realized what the conversation had come back to, “Rhia? Goddesses, no. ...I see you didn’t go to biotic class.”

Cael shifted his own day bag as he looked away. “I don’t like her.”

“Who? The teacher?”

“She’s an elitist asshole,” Calamity said as she moved to walk backward ahead of them. 

Bones sighed. He’d have to look up another biotic teacher in that case and see if the ‘elitist’ asari he’d hired would refund any of the credits he’d paid. “I guess we’ll just shelve that for now then.”

“Whatever. So, do you like  _ anybody _ ?”

“I like you three. With all my heart.” He answered forming a heart over his chest with his hands before winking.

“Too soon.” Calamity said with a scowl as she turned around to walk properly. “Like way, way, way too soon.” 

Bones simply beamed at her when she looked over her shoulder. He needed to make it into a joke because as much as it had scared them-- it had scared him. While they had nightmares, he’d had night’s he was afraid to sleep and phantom memory moments where he remembered it all too clearly. Still, it had been worth it. In fact, he’d probably do it all exactly the same if he had to but that didn’t stop his own nightmares and subsequent insomnia. 

As they turned the corner Cael tugged impatiently at his tunic, “So can we?”

“Can we what?”

“Don’t play dumb. The barbeque.”

“Were we invited?”

“I guess?”

“You guess that we were invited? Or you just  _ really _ want to see Zaeed so you invited us?” Bones asked as he pulled the group into the small grocery store and set to making a quick order on the terminal.

Cael shrugged, looking away. He’d never been good at lying, mainly because Niia took an issue with it and Cael flat out never did anything she didn’t like. Still, Bones could tell that he wanted to try and lie. 

Once he finished placing the order, Bones squatted down, “Listen, I needed to give Haron this week’s datapad. If they invite us all down then we can go. Deal?”

“Fine. ...they’d invite us over, right? Zaeed promised to tell us the story about the knife scar…”

Bones shrugged before standing and heading for the cab station. Frankly, he didn’t want to answer one way or another and get hopes up or crushed. Over the last few weeks, he’d been surprised with how friendly Kolyat and the others were even with the knowledge that he was a mutant. True, this galaxy was…  _ different _ but he’d still seen a hefty amount of prejudice. In fact, standing at the cab station he could count at least three hostile glares aimed their way just for being a ‘mixed’ family. 

Calamity solved that though as she gave a sneer and rude gesture towards one of the glaring turians. Bones very dutifully pretended he didn’t see but gave her a covert low-five as they entered the cab. 

“Dad?” Calamity scooted into the passenger seat as he entered their address into the auto-pilot.

“Hn?” He grunted.

“Are you gonna date?”

Bones jabbed the wrong button causing a string of fours to pop up that he had to erase before pressing enter. “Why is this suddenly a burning question?”

“Because you’re a hot single  _ dad _ now,” Cael piped from the back seat. “Chicks are ‘sposed to dig that.”

“Since when-- why would-- what--?” Bones asked as he twisted in his seat. “Fine, if you get to ask if I’m going to fri-- flipping date then I get to ask how much homework you have.”

Actually getting them to do homework wasn’t difficult but both Calamity and Cael shared a look before getting very quiet. Niia on the other hand, crawled over the seats and onto his lap as she held out her own omni-bracelet to show him the little screen. “I have to do puzzles,” she said softly. “For placement.”

Bones shifted her, carefully avoiding her fringe as he looked down at the puzzles. “Placement? Again?”

Niia nodded. “And they mailed you a note.”

“I…” Bones sighed, resting his chin lightly on her small shoulder, “I guess I’ll start up the terminal and check that when we get home then.”

“Why do you hate the terminal so much?” Calamity asked, slumping in her seat so that she could put her suddenly bare feet up on the cab’s dash. When he didn’t do anything more than grimace at the question, she rolled her eyes, “Oh. Not in public places. Right.”

Niia gave his sleeve a tug and he obeyed the silent request for a hug, tucking her close. The rest of the cab ride was quiet since Calamity had disappeared into a game on her new omni and Cael stretched out in the back seat reading something on a datapad. It was a routine they’d settled into over the last week since he’d found a job near the school that Calamity had asked to go to. There were still days that his mind reeled over the fact that things had changed the way they had. He still remembered when they asked if he wanted to be their dad. They’d made a cake-- or perhaps they’d badgered someone into helping but still, it was the damndest thing to come home to. If he’d been capable of crying he might have simply by how overwhelming it was. As it was… his mind still reeled a little that only a few months ago they hadn’t been part of his life and now he couldn’t imagine it without them. 

_ I wish you were here Pres _ , he thought as he tucked his face against the now napping Niia.  _ You would have loved them _ . Likely they would have loved Presto too but there were few people that didn’t love Presto and his fat store cat Shazam. 

“You fall asleep? ...Bones? Dad? DAD.” 

Bones jolted awake when Calamity gave him a shove. Her face was worried enough to let him in on the fact that something had been wrong. “Hn?”

Cael was peering at him with wide eyes from the back seat. “You stopped breathing. Again.”

_ Shit _ . Bones rarely cussed but at that moment his mind provided a few rather good ones as he straightened up and tried to give them a reassuring smile. “I’m good. See? All good.”

They both looked unconvinced but the cab was landing. Near the apartment archway, Zaeed stood smoking with a small box at his feet. As Bones stepped out and tucked Niia into a better position against his chest, the other two scrambled out towards the colorful mercenary that had previously worked on the ship Bones appeared on. 

“Zaeed!” “Zaeed, you’re back!” “Did you catch your bounty?”

The kids raced towards him, clamoring like over-enthusiastic dogs who’d just spotted their favorite squirrel.

“Course I bloody caught ‘em,” Zaeed said calmly, flicking the butt into the dim street and hooking a thumb at the door, “mind letting me in?”  As Calamity and Cael raced towards the door, cheerfully fighting over who got the scanner, Zaeed made his way over to Bones. “How’s the new job?... not gonna find the little shits showing you goddamn species flashcards again right?”

Since Bones had his hands full of sleeping turian, he gave a one-armed shrug. “I still maintain that mistaking a Hanar for a pet is not that worst thing I could have done... Of course, if I mess up levo and dextro then someone dies so no pressure, right?”

“Ain't no fun if there’s no risk,” Zaeed said with a chuckle, hefting his box as they followed the two terrors through the door. As the kids ran ahead to the elevator Zaeed lowered his voice, “You coming to the engagement party?”

_ Engagement? Oh… _  Bones tried not to look as alarmed as he felt. “Ah. The children had been hinting that there is a barbeque but I wouldn’t want--”

“Bones!” Haron interrupted him, stepping out of the elevator and jogging past Calamity and Cael who piled in and waved like true little jerks before closing the doors. “You never check your mail, do you? You coming today?”

“Uh--”

“I’ll be right back but we got food for the kids and Kolyat can let you in. Oh, and she doesn’t know so don’t say anything if you see her!” Haron was already out and sprinting down the street before Bones could get a word out.

“Never saw the damn point in this much fuss,” Zaeed grumbled as he pushed the button for the elevator. “But hey, free booze and Haron makes surprisingly good food for someone who can’t taste test it.”

Bones chuckled. “Well, you want me to mix something truly spectacular for you, all you’ve got to do is ask.”

“Eh, don’t bloody tempt me. Might finally see if you can put your goddamn credits where your mouth is. Hearing all this bullshit about you being a goddamn professional.”

_ Oh, I am _ , Bones thought silently to himself and of his new drink-mix notebook that he kept with him on all times, _ but not in this galaxy… yet _ .

 

~~~

 

As parties with surprise elements go, this one had turned out rather well in Kolyat’s opinion. Somehow Haron had even managed to catch Bones who had mixed drinks with a showy flair and a smile that Kolyat had never seen prior. In fact, aside from the rather shy grin, the man would occasionally offer when he and the children were invited over to dinner, Kolyat couldn’t ever remember seeing the man truly smile. 

Kolyat leaned against the rail on the upper floor, surveying the party. Haron had been a nervous wreck for most of the week so it had fallen on Kolyat to do most of the preparation. Now that it was winding down, he could simply survey and bask in the accomplishment. On the far side of the room, Niia was quietly curled up in Thane’s lap-- the child had a rather strange affection for his father while the other two seemed to worship the ground Zaeed walked on. However, Cael was the only one sitting near Zaeed as he likely told another story about someone he stabbed or stabbed him. 

Leaning forward Kolyat could just see Haron and Chloe dancing together just below the balcony. She’d said yes--  _ as if there had ever been a question on if she would _ \-- and now they were lost in their own little world. Kolyat was actually a little surprised they hadn’t slipped off somewhere.

He found himself looking for Bones, wondering where the man had gotten off to. To his surprise, Bones was not on the lower floor. Instead, he was sitting with Calamity on the stairs and Calamity chose that moment to very loudly say, “Oh, so you’re  _ gay _ . Why didn’t you just say so? What sort of stupid shit uses asari as a metaphor...”

The little she-demon flounced off to sit near Zaeed as the old merc choked on his beer in laughter. Bones simply buried his head in his hands as his skin around his ears turned a deep and very alarming shade of red. Smothering his own grin, Kolyat picked up a spare beer and offered it to the human as he sat beside him at the top of the stairs. 

“...thanks…”

Kolyat hummed. “Mhm.” 

Kolyat was finding himself nearing his own bottle’s bottom when Bones said, “That’s a right of passing or something right? Parents being embarrassed by their kids?”

“Don’t know. You ever embarrass yours?”

“......”

Kolyat chanced a glance and saw that Bones’ face had fallen beyond the normal somber that he tended to wear. He was staring at the scarring on his right hand-- something that Kolyat had wondered about before since Bones’ healing powers seemed to erase almost any trace of injury. Seemed strange to have scars…

When Bones spoke, his voice was rough and broke. “Yeah. Guess I did. ...Excuse me.” 

With that, he set aside his unopened beer and wandered off towards the balcony-- not uncommon since Bones often had to step away and onto the balcony thanks to some apparent social anxiety but Kolyat felt a little responsible this time. Haron, in the middle of pouring another set of drinks for himself and Chloe, motioned him over with a slight jerk of his head. 

“What did you say to him?” Haron asked when Kolyat came over.

Kolyat grabbed one of the pre-mixed drinks and placed his back to the room as he leaned against the counter. He took a drink as he stared at the cabinets and answered, “Just the most asinine thing I could. As usual. I guess.”

Haron made a motion at Chloe-- likely telling her in their own silent way that he was gonna be a min-- before settling against the counter in a similar fashion. “Yeah?”

“I just--” Kolyat let out a frustrated sigh, “nothing.”

Haron gave him a nudge with his shoulder and nodded towards where Bones stood leaning on the balcony railing. “Want to know a secret?”

“Hn.”

“People like him? They distance themselves because they’re afraid of getting hurt. Just because he can heal something physical doesn’t mean he can’t be hurt.”

“That your professional opinion?”

Haron’s mandibles flicked in a smile. “Actually? Yeah.”

“Damn cop.”

“Damn wanna-be assassin.”

Kolyat grimaced and cast a glance towards his father who looked very deceptively like he’d nodded off and not like he was probably meditating or just reliving memories. He hoped that his father wasn’t struggling to breathe and just trying to hide it-- though his father had seemed almost better lately.

He tipped the last of his cup back, trying not to think of how much he’d drunk when he asked Haron, “Okay. So?”

“So,” Haron shoved two more drinks into Kolyat’s hands, “sometimes you have to chase the good ones because they’re too busy being distant to realize there might be something more.”

After Haron walked away, returning to Chloe’s side, Kolyat was left to decide if he wanted to try making an ass of himself again. Since there wasn’t really anything else to do, he decided ‘what the hell’ and headed for the balcony. Bones was leaning heavily on the railing, his face turned out towards the visible sky and he looked almost like he was searching for something when Kolyat stepped out and offered out the drink.

“Sorry,” Bones said, his small smile rueful as he accepted the drink. “Guess that was more of a sore-spot than I realized.”

Kolyat shrugged and took a seat on one of the chairs. “You okay?”

His eyes followed as Bones pushed back his dark hair with a sigh. “...yeah. Just a little tired.”

He did look tired. Kolyat had just amounted it to the hair color change but now he was starting to realize that over the past few weeks Bones had become noticeably more withdrawn and worn looking. Perhaps he could work with his father, Haron, or even Zaeed and see about taking the kids for a day. Being a new dad couldn’t be easy and that new job did seem to have rather long hours…

Hoping to change the topic to something safe, Kolyat asked, “How’s the job?”

Bones toyed with his glass, staring at the liquid as more of his hair slipped loose in fragile looking strands with the soft wind caused by the station's outdoor air filters. “I’ve had better but,” Bones paused and flashed Kolyat that same small smile as if he was about to tell some secret joke, “not too many want to hire someone with no records or--” he waved his hand-- “omnitool.”

Kolyat knew that feeling. Since he’d effectively squandered the massive majority of his inheritance on illegal upgrades and programs that had been confiscated by C-Sec, he knew that without the job Bailey had slipped him he’d probably be in a similar position. How strange that only a couple months ago he’d been hating his job. He actually wasn’t sure when he’d changed his mind about the way his life was going but sitting there on the balcony he was fairly sure there had been a change.

“You ever miss your home planet, Kolyat?” Bones asked, his face once more pointed towards the stars.

“Never been. Not really. Most drell live on Kahje now and I couldn’t stand it once mother was gone.”

“Ah. Apologies.”

“A trip from the citadel to earth isn’t too expensive,” Kolyat said, standing and moving over to lean on the rail beside Bones, “Be easy enough to visit if you’re feeling homesick. Or were you a colony kid?”

“Hn…” Bones shook his head as if the shake away the vacant expression that had crossed his face. “No, my home is… not there anymore. Wouldn’t be the same.”

Kolyat had suspicions that there was more to it than talking about a colony that had been destroyed during the last geth attacks but he didn’t press. Instead, he held out his glass in a human toast, “to new homes then.”

The corner of Bone’s mouth twitched up as he held out his own glass. “And new lives.”

As they drank, Kolyat began to wonder if it was just drunk-brain that made him focus on Bones’ lips or if there was actually something behind it. He still remembered the healing kiss-- _ in perfect drell detail _ \-- that Bones had planted on him but he wondered what a longer and slightly more expected one would be like. Bones’ lips had been soft. Softer than drell anyhow and Kolyat hadn’t really previously considered branching out to another species even though there weren’t many sexual encounters to be had off Kahje.

Lost in thought, he found himself drifting closer to Bones until the man gave him a rather perturbed smile. “We should head in. I should get Niia to bed.”

Though the drunk part of Kolyat was throwing a tantrum, his very sober part in the way back of his brain was suddenly breathing a sigh of relief. He’d definitely been thinking of leaning in and trying to kiss Bones and that… well, not everyone was into dating other species. Heck, even he hadn’t really thought about the fact that Bones was human-- though now that he was he couldn’t seem to stop. 

Bones very hesitantly patted Kolyat’s arm-- _had they been touching?_ _Pressed together. Skin surprisingly chilled_ \-- Bones was already walking away when Kolyat jerked himself out of the fresh memory like someone jerking from a falling dream. Perhaps it would be best if he just headed to bed to sleep off some of this alcohol himself.


	2. Chapter 2

 

Bones sat at the terminal, slowly translating the little alien symbols first into this world's most recognizable earth text and then carefully into his own earth’s written English on a datapad tablet while his brain wandered back to a moment that had lingered with him ever since the party a few days prior. 

He was fairly sure that Kolyat had been about to kiss him. 

But why? 

It didn’t feel like the teasing jokes and ‘ _ how far can you get with the gay guy before you chicken out _ ’ dares that he’d put up with back on earth. In fact, if Kolyat hadn’t been drunk enough that Bones could see him having trouble standing then perhaps he might have just let it happen. 

“Dad! I’m home!” Calamity called from somewhere at the front area of the apartment. “Dad?”

“Here, Cali,” he said, using the name she only really allowed in private.

She walked in and immediately grimaced. “You’re doing it by hand again?”

“Can’t learn it if I always use the reader tool. I need to be able to read the requests at work too.” 

“So you give yourself homework? ...that’s shitty.”

He raised a brow since she often assigned herself little learning projects even before he’d gotten them into school. “Pot, meet Kettle.”

Calamity, it typical Calamity fashion, simply shrugged and hopped up to sit on his desk. Leaning over to see his terminal’s screen she asked, “want help?”

“... aren’t parents supposed to ask that? This feels like we might be getting it backward.”

She gave him a toothy smile that was more like an animal baring its fangs. “Sorry, were we supposed to be  _ normal _ ? Shit, I must have missed that. Let me just go get my  _ normal _ clothes and--” 

Bones held up a hand. “Got it. Got it.”

Calamity tugged one of the stylus pens from the cup he’d made into a holder on his desk and played with it as she said, “We can just chalk it up to the whole ‘nother dimension thing. It’s cool. Don’t want a normal family anyhow. ...normal families suck.”

“Yeah,” Bones agreed softly. He nudged her leg with his pen, “but ours is cool. Cael and Niia still out?”

“Mm. Niia is being stubborn.”

“About?”

Calamity shook her head-- freshly purple hair bouncing-- and gave him the look that meant Niia had made her keep a secret. They had agreed that they shouldn’t really keep secrets as a family but he understood that sometimes the children got ideas or felt like being independent. Bones always wondered where to draw the line as an official dad but as long as they all wore the tracker beads, he was willing to put up with a little worry. Plus, this was the first time Niia had asked to go out with only Cael since the incident and Bones was hoping that it was a sign she was feeling better.

Especially because he wasn’t.

Bones absently rubbed his chest as he pushed away the datapad and asked, “So, you’ll be my dictionary?”

Instead of the smile that normally came when he let her show off her smarts--  _ which were alarmingly abundant _ \-- she scowled at him. “Your chest hurts, doesn’t it?”

“I’m fine.” Bones leaned back in his chair and spread his hands, “even took it easy today. No heavy lifting or anything.”

Calamity looked away. It was one of the rare occasions that she looked truly troubled and Bones scooted forward in his chair as he placed his hand over hers. “Cali?”

“You died, Bones. You’re not okay and you know it. You limp worse and--”

“I’ll be  _ fine _ little bean,” Bones said squeezing her hand, “I always am.”

She sniffled, hiding her face further beneath her purple shield of wild hair. “But that’s just it-- you should have healed by now! You always heal…”

“Calamity. Cali-bean look at me,” He tried to use his best dad voice but it broke and wavered. She looked up anyhow-- her skin blotchy and tears welling up. “You’re that worried?”

She nodded.

“Okay. But if I go to Chloe and ask for a check-up then I get to ask you to do one favor. Deal?”

Her brows scrunched and she somehow managed to make a sniffle sound suspicious. “What favor?” 

He shook his head and passed her a tissue. “Have to make the deal before I ask.”

She thought it over, eyes narrowed and tissue unused up till the point that she nodded and turned away to blow her nose. When she finished, Bones held up the datapad. “Please, for the love of all that is holy, try to cuss less in school.”

“How many emails this time?”

“Twenty-seven so far and a few of the newest ones are threatening suspension for ‘attitude problems’,” he said making air quotes, “the only reason that they’ve let you stay so far was because you are-- in their words may I add-- an exemplary and brilliant mind. If you could just chill the attitude while in class...”

She gave a thoughtful pout. “Is that the first ‘dad lecture’ you’ve given?”

“Think so. Rating?”

“Nine out of ten. Not too pushy and you got properly crafty and made me make a deal first. I think you’re getting a hang on this whole dad thing.” She said, hopping down and patting him on the shoulder. “Now, we have to eat a treat. It’s like when rich people toast to a business deal but less asinine.”

Grinning, Bones set aside his tablet and followed her out towards the kitchen. She pulled out items at random till she found what she was looking for. After handing up the package of pistachio zucchini cookies-- which only they liked-- she shoved everything back in and hopped up to sit on the counter.

As they nibbled at their treat, Calamity said, “So, dating.”

Bones didn’t turn to look at her, only glancing using his peripherals as he answered, “You seem a little young but okay. Just no swapping bodily fluids--”

“Me? Ew. No. I meant you.”

He resisted the urge to groan and instead settled with huffing and wiggling himself up to sit on the counter opposite of her. 

“No. Really,” she said, gesturing with her cookie. “You meet any guys?”

He hadn’t told them previously about Presto. It felt wrong somehow and there never seemed to be a  right moment. Though his mind had begun to wander to Kolyat these last few days it always came with a sense of guilt. People were supposed to grieve longer… right? It hadn’t even been a year. Or a half a year.

“Dad?”

Bones blinked away the mental tumble he’d taken and hummed, “Hm?”

“Where’d you go?”

“Just…” He sighed, pushing away the hair from his face before continuing, “can we drop this? I’m just not… ready.”

“Okay.” For a second he thought she truly meant it until she said, “At least if you go to Chloe you can see Kolyat right? You kinda like him. Think he likes guys?”

“You can have the entire bag of cookies if you leave my dating life alone for at least one week.”

“Three days.”

“Deal.”

 

~~~ a few days later ~~~

 

Haron was in the middle of cleaning his c-sec armor when the door chimed. Opening it revealed Bones looking rather flustered and awkward. Calamity pushed him bodily through the door as she said, “and don’t come back till you talk to her!”

After she marched off, Bones cleared his throat awkwardly. “Ah, uhm, I’m sorry. Is Chloe here by any chance?”

Haron raised a brow-plate. If Calamity hadn’t very loudly announced during the party that Bones was apparently gay-- something Haron looked up during a previous incident in C-Sec and only barely understood-- he might have felt some worry that the human was attempting to woo her away like in those vids she enjoyed watching. As it was, Haron was simply amused and a little perplexed.

“No. She’s at the clinic tonight.”

“All night?” Bones asked, slowly looking more and more crushed.

Haron nodded, wondering further what was going on. 

“Right… I-- uhm, I’m sorry to barge in. I’ll just, uhm… go. I’m gonna go. Yeah.”

Bones backed out the door and stood in the hall looking lost. Haron grinned when he thought up a possible explanation for the man not simply returning to his own apartment. Bones was amazingly bad at technology--  _ something you’d have to be a blind elcor to not figure out _ \-- and Calamity… well... was Calamity. Haron crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway as he asked, “You think she re-coded the door didn’t she?”

“Yes.” Bones said slumping against the far wall and sitting with legs crossed in a manner that made Haron’s joints sympathy-ache. “Know she did. And she got the others to agree not to let me in.”

“And what does this have to do with Chloe?”

Bones glanced around to check that the hall was clear before miming pulling something from his chest and that familiar double pumping motion that human hearts had. Haron immediately and very intensely regretted asking as he hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “Want a beer?”

“...are you sure? I don’t mind waiting here.”

Haron shrugged. “Kolyat isn't home yet and I was just getting my armor ready for tomorrow. Bit of a bore to be by myself.”  _ And there were some things that they couldn’t discuss in the hall, _ he added to himself. Once Bones was in and perched nervously on the couch, Haron returned to his armor and asked, “So, healing problem?”

“Yeah. Guess having things ripped out of my chest is making the kids nervous.”

“Just nervous?” Haron asked with a raised brow, “Nothing causing that nervousness?”

Bones would have done terribly under interrogation as he toyed with the bottle with an expression that could only be described as guilty. Haron set down his buffing cloth and focused his full ‘cop stare’ at the poor man. Bones cracked, looking at the floor as he said, “uh, stopped breathing a few times according to the kids.  I guess you should know I passed out at work. Stymml gave me a week off and warning so I won't be bringing one of his datapads by.” Haron hummed. He’d suspected something when Bones hadn’t come by with the delivery. Bones continued, “Think Calamity knows I haven’t been sleeping.”

“Can’t blame you. Even I had trouble sleeping and I didn’t get organs ripped out of my carapace by a madman,” Haron said as he picked up his buffing cloth once more, “The kids are smart though and you do look like shit so that last one was a given.”

“He doesn’t look that bad,” Kolyat’s voice cut in. 

Haron tensed in surprise as he looked up to see Kolyat padding down the hall-- having come in from the balcony. Kolyat tossed his vigilante hood into the counter as he headed for the fridge. Once he’d grabbed a drink he parked himself very notably on the far side of the room as he said, “Evening Bones.”

The tone seemed oddly cold, even for Kolyat. Haron eyed his best friend. Kolyat had been throwing himself into work with more vigor than usual since the party. Haron hadn’t really thought much of it but now… he was beginning to suspect something else had happened after his--  _ in his opinion _ \-- rather excellent advice. Then again it was fairly easy to send the drell into a state of emotional turmoil so it could have been something stupidly simple. Or not.

Bones gave a small wave, red creeping up around his ears. “Kolyat. … Uhm,” He set down the beer--unopened-- as he stood. “I should get going. Thanks for the chat.”

Haron didn’t say anything, simply watching as Bones fled and Kolyat glared at the door in his wake. 

“So,” Haron asked the stormy silence let in Bones’ wake, “what,  _ exactly _ , was that.”

Kolyat’s gills flushed dark enough to be nearly black as he looked away. “Nothing.”

“Kol, you are about as bad a lier as Bones, but--” he stood packing his armor up in a practiced motion and zipping the bag closed-- “if you want it to be nothing. It’s nothing.”

“...why was he here?”

“Waiting for Chloe.”

“Oh.”

“Calamity locked him out.”

“What?  _ Why _ ?”

Haron’s mandibles twitched as he hid a grin. “Thought you weren’t interested.”

Kolyat looked away, his voice bitter. “It’s not me who’s not interested.” 

“So something  _ did _ happen at the party,” Haron prompted. “Need to talk?”

“It’s…” Kolyat shrugged but Haron could see the inner walls crumbling as the drell wandered over to the couch and buried his head in his hands, “I was drunk. Nothing happened.”

“Something happened. You’ve been  _ moody _ .”

“I’m not  _ moody _ .”

“You’re moody,” Haron said flatly.

Kolyat shot him a glare but there was no fire behind it. Haron sat on the couch nearby, his cheer from the banter shriveling as he asked, “crush?”

“More like crushed.”

“You said nothing happened. You can’t be crushed if nothing happened.” Haron pressed.

Kolyat stood and began pacing. There was a familiar angry swing to his arms as he said, “I was  _ drunk _ \-- and he’s been avoiding me since.”

“It’s only been a little over a week, Kol.”

“Exactly! He used to come by almost every day. Even dad says he hasn’t visited and Bones usually takes Niia to do tea and meditation with him every morning.”

Haron stretched out on the couch as he said, “he’s been dealing with stuff.”

“Yeah. Right.”

“He was here to see Chloe because he passed out at work.” Haron left off the other bits as he gauged Kolyat’s reaction.

“What?” Kolyat’s pacing stopped. “When?”

“Don’t know. Recent though.” He cocked his head, “...what do you know about his job?”

Kolyat stared at him. “ _ You _ got him that job. Why are you asking me?”

Haron shrugged, spreading his hands. “What do you know?”

“I assumed--…” Kolyat’s expression darkened. “He’s been dropping off datapads.”

Haron nodded. “He’s been my anonymous informant to the new case.” 

“Why?”

Haron leaned forward, abandoning his comfortable position as he leaned his elbows on his lap. “I cut a deal with Bailey. Cameras picked up Bones near the school... it was only a matter of time. The change in hair color never worked.”

Kolyat sank into the far chair. Hurt realization creeping into his face. “Bailey knows? You told him?”

“Had to. But Bailey has a soft spot for kids. After I spoke to him I explained about the kids. Zaeed put in a good word-- as did your father-- and Shepard withdrew her capture request. Even donated to the anon--”

“--anonymous fund.” Kolyat finished for him as he covered his face with his hands. “Dad told Bones it was from an organization he knew.”

Haron nodded. “We all pooled into that and Bailey agreed to help with the adoption records and other things if Bones could do some favors.”

“... Bones doesn’t know, does he?”

“No. And I plan to keep it that way.”

“Why? He at least deserves to know that his record is clean.”

Haron looked away as guilt surged like a punch in the gut. “Not exactly.”

When he chanced a glance back up, Kolyat looked fit to burst and for a moment Haron worried that Kolyat already knew. Then Kolyat asked, “What do you mean ‘ _ not exactly _ ’? Wait, you said other things-- what other things? Haron he  _ didn’t _ have a record. You said it yourself.”

Haron shook his head. “Sorry, Kol. That’s--”

“Don’t you  _ dare _ use that classified bullshit on me!” Kolyat hissed, standing. “Don’t you  _ dare _ .”

So Haron stayed quiet.


	3. Chapter 3

 

Kolyat shifted his vest to sniff it. It still smelled like the bar he’d wasted the night in after storming out of the apartment. Thankfully the scent didn’t seem too heavy or noticeable. He’d actually been heading home to glare at Haron who’d been calling for most of the night and shower when his feet had decided to take him to Bone’s apartment instead at the very end of the strip. He wasn’t quite sure what he was gonna say but maybe he could pass it off as just a friendly visit. 

...at what could be considered quite early in the morning. 

Okay, so it wasn’t a  great idea but he felt too committed to back down now.

He pressed the pad beside the door knowing that somewhere in the apartment it tweeted like an obnoxious bird. The kids had picked it and been incredibly delighted by the squawk. They’d reprogrammed the one in his apartment too but Haron had changed it back almost as soon as he noticed.

“--’s about time! I--... Kolyat?” Calamity glared up at him. “What are  _ you _ doing here?”

Kolyat stared down at her. Since dying her hair she looked a lot like one of those little earth troll dolls that the customs and trinkets shop had sold. He liked the color though. The purple seemed to suit her in it’s own way. “Is Bones up?”

Her glare intensified. “He’s not at your place?”

“Why would he be at our place?” Calamity gave an angry shrug and Kolyat’s brain supplied a few wishful and startlingly dirty mental images of  _ why _ that he had to squash down before he clarified, “So… he’s not home?”

Cael, holding Niia’s hand crept into view, glaring at Calamity as he said, “He didn’t come home after Calamity locked him out.”

“I did NOT. ...Ok. But it was just for an hour and he promised to talk to her. Don’t fuc-- _fudging--_ _fricking_ \--” she stomped her foot as if suddenly not cussing was taking a great effort-- “ _farking_ blame this on me. You helped!”

Niia, quietly took both Cael and Calamity’s hands and pulled them out of the apartment and looked up at Kolyat expectantly. 

“What?” the word came out harsh and almost more of a croak as he stared down at the little turian.

“Thane,” She said as if that explained everything.

Calamity’s face-skin was an angry red--  _ had she been holding her breath? _ \-- and she took a slow purposeful breath in before nodding and tugging the group off down the hall. Kolyat closed the door, tapping the lock button before trailing behind them. 

If Bones was missing… had he stayed out all night or had something happened? It just didn’t seem like him to leave the kids alone for so long-- not that Bones didn’t leave them alone sometimes but not coming home? It just seemed unlikely. More-so when Kolyat used his onlitool to double check his own apartment’s logs and found that no one was home and no one had  _ been _ home nearly since he left.

It was Niia who untangled herself from the child-chain of hands and stood on tiptoes to reach Thane’s panel but it was not Thane who opened the door. Kolyat stood in surprise as Zaeed-- wearing only boxers and a bathrobe-- waved them in and headed back towards the small kitchen. Had he moved in at some point? He wasn’t aware that his father had decided to have a roommate… then again, though he’d been visiting more often he hadn’t really conversed much with his father.

Zaeed held up a pot, his eyes grouchy slits as he looked over the kids. “Coffee?”

Kolyat nodded and caught Calamity doing the same. Cael, on the other hand, shook his head in perfect unison with Niia. 

“ ‘s’whats this about?” Zaeed asked, passing out cups and spreading his hands to lean on the counter and stare at them.

Calamity clutched her mug, knuckles going white. “Dad. Bones. I kicked him out and he didn’t come back.”

Cael wandered over to sit on one of the new couches as he muttered, “About time. Adults always leave.”

Kolyat had to admire the self-restraint that Calamity was showing as she set her mug down very slowly and carefully before she walked over and decked Cael. They dissolved into a screaming, crying whirl of limbs, tumbling to the ground as Cael shouted something in a language that Kolyat didn’t recognize. 

Zaeed slid around the counter looking alarmed-- “Shit-- WHOAH-- easy-- stop goddammit!--” the old merc was in the mix like a ‘goddamn’ professional separating the two as Kolyat picked up a softly whining Niia who hugged around his neck.

Never had he felt more lost. Well, that wasn’t true but for once there were no memories popping up to compare to this situation. In fact, he’d never even actually held Niia in the past beyond her taking his hand to lead him somewhere once when they’d all gone clothes shopping as a group with the kids. Now here she was with her thin arms wrapped tightly around his neck and flat little face pressed tight enough against his throat to actually hurt his gills. 

What had his mother done to comfort him? The memory of her gently rubbing along his spine as she hummed floated to mind and he moved away from the now crying Calamity and Cael as Zaeed worked. Kolyat’s humming was honestly a very poor and pitchy replica compared to his mother’s rich voice but he tried. It rumbled low in his gills and Niia quieted almost instantly-- her death grip on his neck loosening the longer he hummed the song his mother had once sung. 

So intent on trying to comfort her, he didn’t notice right away that his father stood quietly in the doorway watching. There was no hiding the hurt and rather wistful look-- lost in a memory no doubt-- that was quickly smothered away by Thane as he came over. 

“Kolyat. I assume something is wrong?” Thane asked with a slight incline of his head towards were Zaeed was now dotting medigel onto split knuckles and mopping up bloody noses. 

“Bones is missing,” Kolyat said as softly as he could, hoping to not disturb Niia. “They think it’s their fault.”

_ Just like I’d blamed myself when you never came back _ , Kolyat thought as he stared at his father. Perhaps his father thought along the same lines because the stalwart assassin suddenly wouldn’t meet his eyes. 

Zaeed came over, clutching his cup of coffee and sporting a nice bruise near his eye. Calamity and Cael were in angry little lumps on opposite ends of the couch but they were no longer fighting or crying so that was an improvement. Zaeed nodded at Thane, “Think it has anything to do with last night?”

“Perhaps… I am beginning to regret not choosing a system that records the hall and alley activity.”

“Bloody told you.” 

Kolyat scowled. “Something happened last night?”

Zaeed’s gaze met for a moment with Thane’s before he shrugged and looked away, sipping his coffee and looking for all the world as if he had no clue what was going on. Thane cleared his throat and Kolyat could see a blush creeping up his gills.  _ Oh blessed Kalahira _ , Kolyat began to get a sinking feeling that they were definitely not roommates.

“We heard some noise last night in the alley below, but we failed to check. It seemed unimportant at the time.”

Kolyat narrowed his eyes. Mr-Paranoid-Mercenary and Mr-Paranoid-Assassin not checking the hall if they heard a noise... that didn’t seem right. Of course, he suspected there was more to Zaeed’s always visiting but now that he fully looked at it, he realized why his father might have tried to keep it hidden. A very unreasonable part of Kolyat was angry. It was a tiny amount of anger but it was there nonetheless because his father was moving on.

“Father, it’s fine,” Kolyat eventually ground out, “but can you at least describe the sound?”

It was such a Haron-like thing to ask but the still very angry part of Kolyat didn’t want to go to Haron for help and hated even realizing that he’d picked up some of the C-sec officer’s mannerisms. In response to Kolyat’s question, Thane’s lips pressed together-- keeping a lid on whatever memory came up-- and it was Zaeed who answered almost hastily, “Bit of a scuffle. Didn’t bloody last long. Few thumps.”

Niia shifted in his arms, leaning back almost precariously as she fiddled with something on her wrist. After she’d gotten it off, she offered it towards Zaeed. He took it with a scowl. “He still have his?”

Niia nodded. “In his book.”

“Well let’s bloody hope he’s got it with him,” Zaeed said as he passed over the bracelet to Thane. “Get a reverse trace going. I’ll order breakfast. You still have Shepard’s illegal guns stashed here?”

“Kasumi visited her recently to deliver our messages. She still believes that a locker would be less secure.”

Zaeed spread his hands with a cheeky smirk as he backed away.


	4. Chapter 4

Bones drifted on the edge of consciousness, barely registering the fact that he was somewhere that was definitely not home. His wrists were bound and there was a bag over his head as the floor tried it’s damndest to press into sensitive feeling skin. Someone was standing on his leg, grinding their heel in before pulling away and delivering a kick that made him see little sparks of pain at the edge of his vision as he gave an agonized groan.

“ ‘s awake boss.” A deep voice said above him as his eyes desperately searched through the faint weaving holes of the fabric over his head for some clue as to what was going on.

 _What had happened and where was he?_ He couldn’t remember…

“Sit him up.” A female voice that was somewhat familiar but not someone he could immediately place spoke from above.

She could have been the moon at that point as his brain hazed. He was trying to regain full consciousness but it was like being covered in oil and told to climb up a glass wall. Even after someone grabbed him, twisting his arm in a way that wouldn’t have been pleasant even if he had been normal as they jerked him into a seat and began binding him down. This person was taking no risks though-- the bindings were tight from ankle all the way up to the one that pressed against his neck and made it a little difficult to breathe normally.

He was still scrambling against that mental glass wall, thoughts sluggish and slow while still being a little frantic, when they jerked off the hood. His head fell forward. Chin to chest and breathing strained as his muscles refused to work.

 _Where_?

 _Why_?

“I assume that your name isn’t really Bones,” she-- whoever she was-- was talking again. Moving around. “Is it?”

 _What_?

Someone hit something thin, long, and metal across his shins when he didn’t answer. He made a strained whine. Even without a bone to shatter there, the pain was excruciating.

When the lady next spoke, she had that babying tone that Calamity used to annoy Cael. Her hand twisted in his hair, pulling his head up as she spoke next to his ear. “Aw, decided not to talk? Or--” she let go with an annoying nasal laugh and he saw a flash of blue skin as his head refused to stay up-- “you can’t? You know, I’m impressed really, my men said that it took more than a krogan’s dosage to bring you down and even then you put up quite a fight.”

She must just really like the sound of her own voice, he thought just before it clicked to where he’d heard the voice and laugh before. His head was heavy. Too heavy to bring up as he asked, “Rhia?”

“Rhia?” she mimicked before sliding to sit on his lap as one of her long-fingered hands roughly grabbed his jaw and he was suddenly forced to look into her face as she snarled. “Rhia? Like you don’t fucking recognize my voice? You’ve been screwing me over for months and suddenly you don’t know who I am?!”

He might have asked what the blazing bluebells she meant if she didn’t have such a painful grip on his jaw. When she let go and slipped away, he tongued the freshly bleeding part of his inner cheek. Her heels clicked like jaws snapping as she did a perfectly villainous pace around his chair with her finger dragging over his shoulders and neck.

“Oh you had me fooled for a little while. That smile. The flashy little tricks as you mix drinks. The pleases and thank yous. The whole single dad thing. So perfect--” her nail scratched in a hot flash across the back of his neck-- “too perfect. But it was the kids that gave you away--”

That got a rise out of him and he worked to try and find his tongue. Though he meant it with every fiber of his being it only came out as a whispery mumble, “stay way from ‘em.”

She tittered again and he really, truly, honestly wondered how she got so many tips with a laugh like that. Probably the boobs. Hers were...rather abundant. He’d never been really appreciative of breasts though. They were nice in sculptures but not sexually appealing.

Her voice was back to that nasal mimic, “ _stay away from them_! … Cute. As if I care about your pretend family. You know you could have at least tried to make them all human.”

_Excuse you?_

Bones felt that flair of annoyance. He was going to be very angry if this was about having a mixed race family.

Rhia continued, oblivious as she monologued around the room, “I mean, unless I’d asked one of my men I would never have even known that the skin and headstrands being different meant that the others likely weren’t related. Still, you slipped up and it was _me_ who caught you.”

It took an effort to drag his head up. It felt like someone had stuffed it full of lead weights and pain pounded behind his eyes. Eventually, he gave up trying as he forced out the most prominent question in his mind, “why?”

Her fingers grabbed his jaw again. Cold hands. Long fingers. It was like being grabbed by a skeleton. A psychotic skeleton and she dragged her thumb against his lips before pulling back and slapping him hard enough that his chair fell. The room or perhaps just his damn brain was spinning and fading away as she spoke to what must have been the door guard.

“Let me know when he’s conscious again. We should be reaching the meeting location and I want him ready for tomorrow.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

~~~

 

Sitting in Zaeed’s small personal ship was probably not the most comfortable on a regular day but with six people it was more than a little cramped. Kolyat shifted, trying get comfortable enough with his spot on the floor to get some sleep. They had no clue how long it would take to catch up with Bones’ now very off station signal and it would be best if they’d all had at least some rest.

He was starting to drift off when he heard a sniffle. Kolyat cracked an eye. With Zaeed and Thane in the cockpit, it was just Kolyat and the kids in the ‘cargo’ section. Calamity was in the far corner with the only blanket over both her and Niia as she played a game on her omnitool and a drowsy Niia watched.

A very distinctly muffled sob had Kolyat rolling over to look at Cael who was curled alone on the small shelf that was Zaeed’s bed. The boy reminded him a lot of Haron. Emotions bottled up like a blocked pipe and if an event rose them too close to the surface the result was usually messy. Cael was curled tight, hands over his head and obviously trying to keep quiet.

Kolyat pulled himself up from the ground and bodily scooted the kid over as he flopped into the bed and curled around him. For a moment, Cael tried to hold his breath but Kolyat knew that once the dam broke you couldn’t simply hold it in. He also was pretty sure that, like Haron, Cael just needed quiet comfort as he got it out of his system. Since the boy was a little too young for a fistfight and an abundance of alcohol, Kolyat hoped being curled around him would have to do.

Cael’s sniffles eventually died down and Kolyat was beginning to drift again when Cael mumbled, “why do you care?”

Kolyat cracked an eye open and looked down at the furry mass of curls. Humans were different. They smelled weird. They had fur that varied in length and texture all over their body. They were limited in their colors. Their voices didn’t sound right. Yet with all that… he remembered being an angry child just like this. In fact, sometimes he thought he might still be an angry child if last night’s bar lurk was any reference.

“Because you needed someone to.”

Needed it the same way Kolyat had. It felt strange to realize but as soon as people started giving a damn his life had begun to change. He still wished that his father hadn’t waited so long and that he’d maybe only have a few more months before dying but he was starting to realize that he was grateful that it had happened at all.

He woke when the ship jostled into a docking port. Zaeed was shifting the large old locks on the inner airlock door when Kolyat sat up, “We find him?”

Zaeed shook his head, pulling open the door, “Had to call in help.”

“Yes,” said a female voice as someone shimmered into view in the doorway, “but I thought you said you had a _ship_ , Zaeed.”

“This is a goddamn ship.”

“No, this is a flying shoebox.” She said walking in and flicking a dismissive hand. “But I’ve stayed in worse. Just remember you owe me.”

The kids were all curious eyes as Zaeed pulled open a panel and expanded it into a table and terminal combo. “Fine.” he said, passing over Niia’s bracelet, “just tell us where the other is.”

She paused, tapping a finger to her chin. “No.”

“What do you ruddy mean no?”

“No. I’m not going to simply tell you.”

“Kasumi--”

“I’ll come with you. This hack’s going to take a bit of work anyhow.”

Kolyat slowly lowered his legs to the floor as he stared at the strange woman. Was this Zaeed’s ex? Maybe an old partner? Cael seemed to have a better idea as he asked, “You’re Kasumi? ...I thought you’d be taller.”

She turned her hooded head their direction. There was only a flash of her eyes and her lips showing as she gave a grin. “Oh don’t tell me I’ve made it into one of Zaeed’s fabulous stories. Aw, I’m flattered. Especially since everyone usually dies in those.”

“Did you really kiss Commander Shepard on a dare?”

“Nope.” Kasumi said with a smirk and cock of her hip, “I stole a kiss. There’s a difference.”

“Hm.” Cael didn’t sound impressed. “...You can find our dad?”

The confident smile wavered and faded. “I hate to be blunt but you know he’s likely dead, right?”

It was Niia who answered, having drifted over sometime in the conversation. Her fists were balled tight and her small mandibles were pinched close to her face. It was the most expression Kolyat had ever seen her make as she hissed, “No. He’s not.”

“Er… right.” Kasumi cracked her knuckles, “I guess I should get hacking then.”

Things were quiet as the ship started up again and headed out. After passing out little travel meals to the kids, Kolyat headed into the empty rear of the ship and started up his omnitool, hoping to use the fueling station’s communication relay before they were out of range.

Opening up the comm app on his omnitool he waited and watched as it blinked *connecting* at him. On the third try, he decided to leave a message.

“Haron, I know you’re probably at work. I’m… I’m sorry for not answering last night but Bones is missing. I--… just send me a message when you get this okay?”

Once he finished, he closed his omnitool and gave a small prayer to Amonkira and Arashu in hopes that everything would turn out well.

 

~~~

 

Bones no longer struggled as his captors dragged him roughly down a twisting series of hallways. Whatever this was… well, he’d given up guessing after every strange monologing visit by Rhia. More-so after they’d forced him rather roughly into an outfit and a much tighter bag over his head that he could still see through.

The few times he’d tried to escape had ended rather poorly. True, he didn’t dare take more extreme measures since his healing was already been pushed to the max _before_ he’d been kidnapped-- a fact he was reminded of now that he couldn’t even ease the aches of the many beatings he’d accumulated before realizing that he was on a ship and no longer on the citadel. Then again… perhaps this was a good thing. If he couldn’t heal then they couldn’t discover the power. Of course, it also meant that he might be running the risk of dying which-- as he’d tried to express to Thane upon the balcony-- was no longer something he could do if it meant leaving the kids. They needed people to be constant in their lives and he’d only been their father ‘officially’ for a few weeks. He couldn’t do that to them.

There was a roar of voices when the latest pair of doors opened and he was dragged into a room filled with far more people than he was comfortable with. As he was dragged he could have sworn that he saw Haron standing nearby but someone punched him in the gut and his guards momentarily dropped him before he’d gotten a very good look.

 _Probably just a turian who looks similar_ , Bones thought as his arms were wrenched back and he was dragged the final way onto what appeared to be a stage. Even with the weird bag over his head, he could see most of the small area where he sat. There was a curtain of sorts but the bright round orbs of lights shone beyond like threatening miniature suns.

“WELCOME,” Rhia said, her voice booming through speakers around the room and Bones began to worry about the stories that Cael had told him about slavers stealing people off the station. “Welcome to all who are not human or at least know their place. I know this meeting was short notice but I’ve brought proof! Proof that the humans have been sending their secret agents into our midst. PROOF that the humans are attempting to take over our galaxy because I’ve have managed to capture their White Smile!”

The curtain in front of Bones dropped and he was blinded just as he began to realize that it was not, in fact, a bag they’d put over his head but a mask.

 _Oh fuck my life_ , he thought as he closed his eyes against the lights.

 

~~~

Haron edged out the back doors as the asari went on a long-winded ramble about conspiracies and moved to a location that he’d scouted earlier as safe and secluded. He’d been chasing the people who’d taken Kolyat for near a damn day but now that he’d caught up to them, there were more than he could handle and definitely more than he could reasonably shoot through.

Frustrated, he checked his omnitool again. No signal. This station had no relay for his tool to connect to and he’d not thought to call Thane or even anyone else until it was too late and he was in a deadzone. At least he had a good portion of the station mapped out. No one seemed to notice or question him since he was turian and he’d been able to go wherever he pleased. However, wherever he pleased would have been off the station and back to safety well before this thing started up. Worse, what if they took off the mask and realized that Kolyat definitely wasn’t human like they were saying? Seemed so stupid not to confirm at least the race before throwing a farce like this.

Checking to see if the hallway was clear, Haron decided to revisit the station’s generator. Maybe he could rig something with a timer or-- His panicked thoughts came to a halt as he turned the corner and ran into the last person he expected.

“Kolyat?”

Kolyat looked just as surprised, taking a step back as he said, “Haron? The hell are you doing here?”

Haron glanced around before grabbing Kolyat’s jacket and tugging him back into the dark empty room. “What am I doing here?! I’m here to rescue you. I heard them take you last night and I tried to get a call through to get a trace going but you never picked up! I-- did they just let you go?”

Kolyat’s eyes narrowed. “They never _had_ me. Someone took Bones last night.”

 _Bones. Oh no._ _But that meant_ …. No, he couldn’t think on that now. Still, Haron couldn’t suppress the distressed trill as he realized what was happening. “But… I heard them say they had the White Smile… I assumed it was you…”

“Well,” a new voice said as the room’s lights were powered on, “this is illuminating.”

He could see no one else was in the room, but Haron took out his gun as he searched for the source of the voice. The source, as it turns out, was an asari who shimmered into view as she dropped her cloak and waved at them before turning to resume locking the door. Since Kolyat seemed unperturbed at her appearance Haron hoped that she was someone trustworthy.

“Kolyat,” Thane’s voice came from above-- causing his heart to jump in his carapace-- just before the drell dropped down. He nodded towards Haron and the little asari who’d de-cloaked nearby. “Sergeant Haron.”

Though Haron didn’t know much about Kolyat’s father beyond him being a retired assassin, he did know that Bailey was-- in his own words-- brick shitting scared of Thane and wouldn’t even attempt to build a case against him or his son if he could help it. Then again Bailey was also ‘brick shitting’ scared of Shepard too and with good reason. _Most_ sane people were brick shitting scared of Shepard. The rest were dead or hadn’t met her.

“So,” the girl pulled up a little hologram of a hacked camera that must be recording nearby. Haron could see what he was sure was the stage with Bones on it as the girl said, “Kolyat _is_ actually the White Smile and they’ve got Bones instead. How exciting. And this gives me an idea but we’re going to need Zaeed’s help.”

Kolyat moved over to look at her screen, his face tight and worried. “Gods… he’s bleeding pretty bad.”

Haron moved to look at the projection as well. They hadn’t removed the mask but you could see the wetness making the black cloth shiny as the asari on stage dragged a knife down Bone’s thighs every time she passed during her speech.

“Kolyat,” Thane was gripping his son’s shoulder.

Kolyat, on the other hand, looked like he was trying to pretend his secret hadn’t just been revealed to his father. When Thane didn’t release, Kolyat finally turned. “Dad, listen, can we talk about this later? I think we should just concentrate on this. Right now.”

Thane nodded, his hand dropping away. “Kasumi, you said you had an idea?”

The girl-- Kasumi-- smiled and Haron realized that the blue was only a paint that ended just inside her lips. “So, Kolyat, while I was snooping I may have noticed you had some extra masks…”

 

~~~

 

Bones was having trouble breathing. Or existing. He wasn’t sure which. It was so, so, _so_ hard to keep his teeth clamped and his sounds limited to the odd pained groan as things continued. So far they hadn’t taken off the mask. But the rest of his clothes were ribbons. Rhia was ranting. There were occasional cheers. It seemed like sometimes people were so enamored with listening to her that they forgot about him but then she’d come back over and remind him that he’d re-entered a new sort of hell.

She’d just finished her latest reminder and he was letting himself fade consciously when he felt a breath near his ear. “Don’t move. They can’t see me. I’m with Kolyat, we’ve got a plan--”

“-- **_but we will remind them where they stand! That they are lesser creatures for a reason!_ ** \--” Rhia’s voice rose. It almost sounded like she was nearing the end of her speech. Goddess how he hoped that was the case. He just wanted this to be over.

The voice whispered to him a little longer and he felt his bindings loosen as the voice asked, “so can you do that? I won't be able to help you once we’ve started.”

His voice was a low croak and he strained to keep it low but hearable. “I can’t.”

“Shit.” she cussed and he heard a shuffling sound, “Not even to the side of the stage? If you can get there I’ll see if someone can carry you. Okay?”

“I… Yeah.”

It wasn’t. He couldn’t tell her that if they shot him like they planned-- even just a scuff through his shoulder-- that he couldn’t heal it. After the beatings, he wasn’t even sure he could walk. Of course, it seemed like the goons had done that on purpose after the second escape attempt. They’d definitely tried to break his legs but lucky for him there was nothing to break. Didn’t stop there from being damage though.

“ **\--AND MAKE OUR GALAXY GREAT AGAIN!** ” Rhia finished off whatever she’d been saying and the room broke into a roar.

Someone from the back shouted-- “LET'S START WITH HIM!”

It was the signal and Bones braced himself, holding the chair with his already loose hands. The shot was loud. It hit and burned through his shoulder just as the first White Smile dropped from the ceiling and kicked him backward. The room was chaos. Lights flickered. White Smiles seemed to appear and disappear at random and in it all Bones was seemingly forgotten.

As he struggled to get his non-working legs loose Rhia proved him wrong. He _definitely_ hadn’t been forgotten. One moment he was writhing out of his bonds and the next he had over a hundred pounds of crazy bitch atop him and it was everything he could do to hold off the knife.

“I’ll _end_ you,” she snarled, “I’ll end you and your whole miserable--”

 _Goddess have mercy_ , he prayed as he gave another writhe and pushed her away-- squeezing desperately through the crack of the stage. It looked like there was an ‘under’ section since it was some sort of floor that could be risen or lowered according to the desire. Now their convenience offered him an escape.

The catwalk caught his fall as he slipped under the stage and he dragged himself up as far as his body would allow. It was blessedly darker here and no one had to see as he writhed forward the way he had when his powers had first emerged before he’d taught himself to walk properly again. Bleeding, he dragged himself to the nearest door only to realize that it was locked and that no one would think to look for him down here.

Looking down, he also realized that the knife Rhia had been wielding was rather firmly sticking from his side. He pulled it out-- more habit than anything-- before he realized what a mistake that had been.

 

~~~

 

Kolyat searched frantically for Bones behind the stage. There was a smear of blood that lead to under the stage but there was no way a man Bones’ size could have fit through that and sadly Kolyat couldn’t just follow the tracer since he was holding the damn book in his hand after having punched the asari brandishing it around and talking about how it was holding secret human codes and spy notes.

“Psst… PSST.”

He looked up to see Niia peeking from one of the ducts. She pointed to a nearby doorway before backing up from view. Kolyat followed the cryptic instructions and found himself in a maintenance hall looking at all the kids. “You’re supposed to be on the _ship_. This is an anti-human rally--” he said kneeling to look at them, “do you know what they’ll do if they catch you?”

Calamity crossed her arms as she scowled at him. “We can take care of ourselves. Plus you don’t know what else dad can do. C’mon, Niia says he went under the stage.”

“He couldn’t fit through that,” Kolyat argued as Niia took his hand and tugged him onwards, “Niia couldn’t even fit through that.”

Cael peeked around a corner before motioning to the others and speaking, “Bones is weird.”

“Secret,” Niia said with a firm nod.

Calamity held up a hand for everyone to stop and the children went quiet. Kolyat tensed, getting ready to throw a dart when Calamity nipped around the corner and he heard a body slam hard against the wall. He and the others rounded it to see her shaking out her hand and an unconscious batarian.

“You’re biotic?” Kolyat asked, a little stunned he hadn’t realized before.

Calamity rolled her eyes. “Duh. We all are. Why do you think we stick together and Niia goes to Thane’s for meditation practice because she already has her amp. Her parents made her keep it a secret.”

He couldn’t imagine the small turian being biotic. Actually, he couldn’t imagine any of them being a biotic. He’d never been born with his father’s biotic gift so it just never occurred to him…

Cael was talking again as the continued, “We have to look in small spots. Dad can squish real small if he’s in trouble. I think he doesn’t realize he’s doing it.”

“Squish real small.” Kolyat said flatly. “This is a really bad time for a joke.”

The kids all stopped and stared at him before looking at each other. Niia let go of his hand, “you can’t tell the secret.”

“Ni-ni,” Cael said crouching down, “we might have to.”

She shook her head violently.

Kolyat knelt beside them, careful to keep an eye out along the dim halls as he said, “if it’ll help us find Bones, can I know? He may be in real trouble.”

“What if we make a deal?” Calamity asked from a little farther down the hall.

“What deal?”

Her grin told him he was going to regret this as she said, “You’ll find out later. First-- we find him. He’s not human, okay? Not really.”

Niia gave a rueful mutter before whining and running ahead. “Niia?!” Cael called.

Kolyat spotted the lump at the end of the catwalk above just as an asari appeared at the top of the nearby ladder. It was the same bitch Kolyat had punched. Her eye was now swollen and she looked almost as maniacal as the damn salarian had.

“My my my. I should have known that you were more than just hired actors. So they train them early. Sweet little child soldiers--” Kolyat wasn’t really sure what the hell she was on about but there was obviously something wrong with her as she held up a red blood covered knife. “But I’ll get you all. Just like I got your precious pretend da--”

Niia gave a fierce scream and there was a roll of blue as she let off a full biotic slam into the asari who hit the ceiling and then lay limp and quite dead. Cael pulled Niia, eyes wide, away and towards the other ladder up. Kolyat could hear Cael whispering, “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay.”

Perhaps it was more for Cael than Niia.

Kolyat hated every moment it took before he got to the catwalk where he could see a single gloved hand hanging over the edge. There was a strange relief though when he did finally make his way up behind the children to see that Bones though pale, bleeding, and unconscious-- was alive.

“Dad? Dad, you need to wake up. You’re too heavy--” Calamity spoke through gritted teeth as she started tugging him, scooting him little by little till Kolyat got there and lifted him.

He was lighter than the last time Kolyat had carried him. He remembered struggling last time and though he’d been keeping up with the workouts Haron ran him through there was no way he’d gotten that much stronger. Kolyat nodded towards the hall. “Get to the ship. Stick together and stay safe.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll meet up with Zaeed.”

That seemed to be the right thing to say as they all nodded knowingly and rabbited off. He was halfway down to the first hall when Haron skid around the corner and by the way he aimed his gun-- looked like he nearly shot Kolyat.

“K?”

Kolyat nodded. “That way clear?”

“No. I used a C-Sec flash to seal the door. There's another way around though--” he pushed past before looking at the little short range communicator-- “shit. That’s Thane’s beacon.”

 _No_ . Kolyat’s breath hitched as his mind slowed into a panicked crawl. _No_.

Haron pointed down the hall, “go straight that way. Take a left one door in then a right at the next hallway. I’ll go help your father and get the others. We’ll meet you there.”

Kolyat nodded. _Never let worries distract you_ \-- something Haron had often told him when they’d first started seriously training. As much as he was worried about his father, he needed to concentrate on what was at hand. The path was thankfully clear except for one very panicked asari who screamed and hid when he ran towards her. _Probably someone too young and stupid to realize they’d gotten wrapped up in a damn cult_ , Kolyat thought bitterly as he shifted Bones.

It seemed like forever before he was finally at the room they’d agreed to meet at. Haron was already there, as was Zaeed and his father who was looking… pale. Kolyat had seen dying drell before-- his mother included-- but it always was like a slap to see the whiteness around their gills from pain and blood loss. Like a little reminder of mortality.

Haron peeked into the hall before nodding at them. “Clear.”

Kolyat was shaking, the strain of carrying a body, even a light one, was getting to be a bit much after the fighting and he was wearing down by the time they split with Haron to get to their own ship.

“I’ll radio ahead to C-Sec once I’m in range of a communicator. Chloe will be waiting for Bones and Thane,” Haron had said before leaving.

Kolyat just hoped they could hold out long enough.

As he set Bones down on the floor, he chanced a glance to where Zaeed was kneeling next to his father. Seeing Zaeed’s strained face as he held his father’s prayer book-- the one he’d been trying to get Kolyat to read-- he knew that his father wasn’t going to make it that long.

The ship rocked, pulling away from the station.

“Uh,” Kasumi-- halfway through wiping away the blue make-up she’d used to look like an asari-- stopped and looked around the cabin, “who’s flying the ship?”

There was a click as Calamity voice came over the ship’s intercom, “ **Ladies and gentlemen this is your pilot speaking--** **_shit_ ** **\--** ” the ship jerked and Kolyat found himself grabbing for one of the ground handholds as Calamity continued, **“I’d say fasten your damn seatbelts but that might not do much-- oh, Haron shot them. Okay. We’re good!** ”

“This was your idea, wasn’t it?” Kasumi asked towards Zaeed when the ship’s gravity gave another lurch from a ‘too hasty’ maneuver.

“...yeah,” Zaeed’s rough voice was actually soft with worry as his thumb stroked small circled on Thane’s hand.

Whatever argument Kasumi was thinking of having seemed to deflate from her as she knelt next to Zaeed. “...I’m sorry, Zaeed.”

Kolyat couldn’t seem to get himself to move. These two people seemed to know his father better than he did. Hell, he felt guilty for his anger the previous morning when he’d realized that Zaeed and his father were _more_. That his father had been moving on.

“Thane?” Niia’s small voice came from the edges of the cockpit and Kolyat just… wanted to not be there. He didn’t want to remember this.

She walked slowly, pressing in next to the others as she began the familiar soft keen that Kolyat recognized as crying. Bones shifted beneath him. “Niia?” Bones’ voice was rough and strained, “What’s wrong?”

She pulled away, coming over to Bones and pressing her face to his chest. “He’s hurt.”

Kolyat could actually hear Bones’ breath. It rattled painfully before he spoke. “Help me up.”

“You can’t.” Niia said leaning into him as he struggled, “You’re hurt too.”

Bones stopped struggling. “How bad? How bad is he hurt?”

Zaeed shifted, leaning back. The old merc’s face looked… worn. He reminded Kolyat of that earth story about the man who held up the world. There was so much weight there as well as plain damn acceptance. “He’ll last maybe an hour. Maybe two. ….it’ll take at least six to get to the citadel.”

Cael edged forward from the cockpit, “What if you--”

“You can’t tell secrets!” Niia said, whirling on Cael.

Bones struggled again and Kolyat helped him get upright as he wheezed. “Niia, it’s okay. Cael?”

Cael stepped out, sniffing as he tried to hold back the tears. “What if you did it, dad? You could use me.”

“Sorry, little bean… you’re not big enough. It would kill you.”

The tears were rolling now and Cael clenched his fists. “Fine. Niia loves him more anyhow. I’d do it for her.”

“I do not.” Niia shouted back with her own distressed whine before saying it again softer, “I do not.”

Bones gave that chuckle. It was the same one that he’d given when he appeared to be bleeding to death on the kitchen table. It was bitter. Dark. It tapered of into a gasp and his hand grasped Kolyat’s arm painfully hard before he said, “Too bad I love you both then. Help me up.”

Kolyat didn’t move as he asked, “What would kill him?”

“He can give,” Niia said legs folding under her as she settled once more near Bones. Her voice getting smaller with every word until she whispered, “and take.”

It took a few moments to realize what she’d said. It hit like a punch in the gut and a rush of memory.

 

\-- _the room is dark. Lamp in the corner. Silver eyes staring, wide. They’re afraid. “Sorry.” Lips against mine_ \--

 

Kolyat jerked, a soft grunt escaping his clenched teeth as the memory threatened to pop out. When he’d gotten himself once more under control he said, “What about me?”

Bones went very still and Kolyat had to wonder if the man’s memory was anything like his and if his mind had gone to the same place. The same memory. Eventually, he rasped out, “I… I’m not sure I can. Not sure it would be enough.”

Kolyat looked toward Zaeed. His mind working. “What about two people?”

“It’ll hurt.” Bones said, sagging against him, his voice getting quieter as he struggled to stay awake, “More than you can imagine.”

By the expression on Zaeed’s face, he wasn’t sure what was going on but he said, “I survived getting shot in the face. A little pain never stopped me. What do we need to do?”

Kolyat suddenly wondered what he’d just signed them up for. Was Bones going to kiss Zaeed? He’d said blood would work too but he wasn’t sure how that would work.

“Cut your hand and mine.” Bones said, his shaking hand raising. “And brace yourself.”

“Oh… that can’t be sanitary…” Kasumi muttered from somewhere near the cockpit as Zaeed did exactly as Bones asked.

Kolyat could see the exact moment that it started taking effect and his mind wondered if that’s how it had looked to Haron. Zaeed made a sound like being punched low in the gut before he crumpled and curled on the floor.

 _Was he_ _crying_?

Bones shifted, sitting up on his own now as he turned and offered his hand towards Kolyat. Taking a shaky breath Kolyat asked, “What if… we did it like last time?”

For once, Bones’ expression was unreadable as he said, “you’re sure?”

Kolyat nodded, hoping that it wouldn’t dissolve him onto the floor like a crying child the way it had Zaeed. Bones grabbed his face, tilting his chin. Lips meeting. For a moment it was amazing… and then he felt it. Like a darkness creeping under his skin or acid in his veins. There is something very wrong with having the health sucked out of you. When Bones let go, Kolyat dropped to the ground.

 _Breathe_ , he told himself. Sucking in pained gulps of air, Kolyat barely noticed Bones stepping over him and limping over to his father. In fact, he must have passed out because when he woke up Kasumi was pulling them into the Citadel. He felt weak. Cold. Cael was next to him, small body curled tight against his side.

Turning his head, he could see Thane sitting up next to a very strained looking Zaeed. For a moment he met his father’s gaze before he felt himself needing to look away as guilt rolled in his chest. He’d almost lost his chance with his father -- again-- and he hoped that when everything settled down he might do better with his effort to reconnect.

Hoping to distract his mind from the ‘could have’ and ‘would have’ beens, he looked for Bones. Calamity was sitting next to him. Tear streaks still fresh on her face as she watched a little heart monitor app on her omnitool. It took Kolyat a moment to realize but though Bones sat as if he’d just been whiling away the day at one of the presidium trees, Bones had lost all color and his head hung limp. Everything but the dyed dark hair was slowly edging into whiteness. Every visible part not covered by the blanket that had been wrapped over his shoulders was pale as the foam that would form on the waves of Kahje.

Kolyat forced himself up, picking up Cael as he went and hugging the sleeping child to him as he made his way over. “...Is he?”

Calamity wiped away a tear, her hand shaking as she showed him the app. “He’s just unconscious but he keeps loosing color. I don’t know how to stop it. He told us he only has really done something big like this twice and that he’d--” she broke off, her breath shuddering as the tears she’d been holding back began to win-- “that he’d never do it again. Ever. That it was as horrible for him as the other person and he killed one of them. Dad-- he--”

Whatever she’d been going to say was lost as the words got caught in a sobbing hiccup. Kolyat pulled her over to him, settling them all together in a big pile as he leaned against Bones.

 _Blessed Kalahira_ , he prayed, _don’t take this one yet. Not from these kids. … not from me._

Time felt as if it passed oddly after that. The pain had gone but there was a weakness like he was recovering from a rather devastating illness and Kolyat found himself dozing off and on during the cab ride back to the apartment. He only barely registered the fact that they made it through the checkpoint and security with Bones. No issues. No alarms. He’d have to thank Haron later, but for the moment he was more concerned with just trying to get home.

Once they were home and Chloe had rushed Bones and Thane to the back room, Kolyat had every plan to just lay down somewhere and sleep until someone needed him but Kasumi appeared at his elbow. “Hey, do you have a moment?”

“Yeah,” Kolyat said leaning heavy on one of the nearby walls as a worn looking Zaeed ushered the kids into Kolyat’s room. “what’s up?”

She hooked a thumb over her shoulder. “Might want to take this somewhere private.”

The serious tone and request had his mind waking up as he gestured towards Haron’s office. There weren’t many places in the apartment that were private and it would have to do. Kasumi followed and waited till the door was closed before she spoke, “Listen, I thought you should know--” his omnitool beeped as she transferred something-- “while I was digging through their database I found, well, this.”

Kolyat opened it and stared. Disbelief. That couldn’t be right… but it was. “That bastard…”

He stormed from the office, anger fueling his steps more than actual energy. Haron was setting out his cleaning kit as if there was nothing wrong and Kolyat snarled as he drew back an arm and punched. Things scattered as Haron fell back, mandibles slack with surprise as Kolyat snarled, “you _bastard!”_

Haron scuttled backward, “Wh--” Kolyat swung again but Haron sidestepped. “Kolyat? What the hell?”

They’d trained together. Drank. He’d thought they were friends. “You were there on _purpose_ ,” Kolyat snarled, “You gave them Bones on purpose!”

Kolyat could see the moment that Haron realized what he was talking about because Haron paused just long enough for Kolyat’s fist to make a solid connection that sent him reeling back into the kitchen counters.

“Wait-- Kolyat! It’s not-- It’s not what you think!”

Someone dragged Kolyat back. “Easy lad,” Zaeed said, “what in the bloody hell is going on?”

Kolyat jerked his arm from Zaeed’s hold. His anger wasn’t gone but what little of his energy was. He panted, out of breath as Kasumi flickered into view and silently waved a hand over the living room screen, hacking it and displaying the same thing she’d shown Kolyat. The evidence was there for all to see. Evidence log records, in fact. And who they were logged by. Kolyat didn’t have to say anything as he stared at the turian he’d once called friend.

“You sonofabitch,” Zaeed snarled, moving forward.

“Wait!” Haron edged back along the counter. “It’s not what you think.”

“Really?” Kolyat swung his arm with a wave at the contrary that flickered on the screen, “Because it _looks_ like you fucking planted evidence-- and you were at the anti-human rally… what about Chloe? Is it just because she ‘knows her place’?”

“No! Spirits no! I planted it before I knew!” The room went deathly quiet and Kolyat could see Haron’s growing panic. “Before I knew about the kids. Before any of this. Kolyat, I didn’t _know_. I’ve been trying to make it right--”

And then it all clicked.

Inviting them over. Donating so much when Kolyat knew the C-Sec officer salary was… well, not a lot. Kolyat felt the last of his energy drain away as he sat heavily on one of the bar stools, “You piece of shit.”

“It wasn’t-- Listen! You’d gotten careless. There was evidence at a scene and I ran the check myself. It would have lead Bailey straight to you. I didn’t know what else to do… Kol, you gotta believe me.”

“You planted evidence against a man who had done NOTHING,” Kolyat said with a halfhearted snarl as he leaned against the counter, “don’t give me that bullshit. How did that damn anti-human group get ahold of it?”

“They had people in C-Sec. We made the arrests only a few hours ago once I transmitted that it was Rhia who’d been setting up the meetings at the bar. That’s why Bones was there. We were trying to figure out who was leaking the information at C-sec but half the department goes there. ...please… Kolyat…”

“You should have told me. Or Bones.”

“The guy had no records. He was a ghost in the system... After--... It was already logged… I just hoped...”

“You hoped.” Kolyat shook his head, feeling disgusted. “You hoped no one would ever find out because your damn turian pride couldn’t admit you’d screwed up. That you’d pinned evidence on an innocent man who probably doesn’t have a single evil bone in his damn body--”

“Actually,” Bones’ voice broke through Kolyat’s rant, “I’ve no bones. Literally.”

Kolyat looked to see Bones leaning heavy against the wall with Calamity bracing him on his free side as she stared daggers at Haron. The wounds that had superficially closed during the healing session were covered with a new transparent skin and it seemed like even the paleness to the rest of his body was draining away to transparency. Haron stepped forward as he said, “Bones, I’m-- spirits-- I’m so sorry.”

Bones chuckled. It wasn’t the dark bitter laugh that he’d made when injured but something… almost more painful. He shook his head, grin rueful. “Makes sense. I thought it was odd. So many favors for me and the kids... I just started to chalk it up to here being different. Should have realized it was guilt.”

“Bones--”

Bones gave a weak wave, cutting him off. “I guess we should look for the real question.”

Cracking his knuckles, Zaeed asked, “Like where to dump the body?”

“No.” Bones said with another sad sounding laugh before looking at them each until his gaze rested solely on Haron, “but who wants to forgive him?”

“I don’t,” Calamity said, breaking the silence first. “He’s an asshole.”

“He is,” Bones said with a jerky nod as he closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall. “But… someone once told me that life is full of mistakes. Some of them hurt worse than others but learning from them and moving forward afterwards is part-- is part of... growing up. Part of being a... better... person.”

“Dad? You’re passing out, huh? --dad you’re heavy--”

Everyone moved to catch Bones as he began to sag-- though Haron stopped as soon as Calamity narrowed her eyes at him. Kolyat and Zaeed hefted him and dragged him back to where Chloe was checking over Thane. As they laid him down she gave a tight-lipped nod. Had she heard the conversation? Likely she had since Bones had gotten up to try and diffuse the situation. He tried not to think of how things seemed like they were falling apart and the life he’d actually began to enjoy was slipping away.

Kolyat sagged into the chair he’d fallen asleep in back when he was first watching over Bones. This time it was his father in the far cot-- alive and actually well on his way to recovery-- and Bones was lain on a second cot that Chloe must have brought over from the clinic. Calamity sat down on the floor next to him, her eyes on Bones. “Chloe doesn't know how to get it out,” she said quietly.

“Chloe,” Chloe said as she looked up from one of her microscopes, “Doesn’t even know what he is.”

Calamity’s mouth opened for a moment before she shut it again. Kolyat was reminded of Niia in that moment. _You can’t tell secrets_.

Chloe didn’t seem to care as she made a pinching motion in the air and expanded her medical display. Her hand waved as she continued, “I don’t even have something comparable for his nervous system which is more complex than anything even in the theoretical. ...Even the asari--… --but maybe a hanar--... “ She rubbed a fist over her forehead, “It doesn't matter but I can’t get his healing to stop long enough to pull this--” she pointed to something dark within the scan-- “out. If I can’t get that out then figuring out his nervous system and how to work around it are pointless.”

The hurts of the day weighed over the room. Anger simmered like soup on a low broil. Sadness. He didn’t know what to do. It seemed like hope kept being dangled and then jerked away and he was feeling so, so, so damn tired of it.

“Maybe we could all…” Calamity started before sighing and tucking her knees up to her chest, “No… he’d have to be awake for that.”

Chloe sat on her work stool, defeat riding on her slumped shoulders. “...I’m not sure he _can_ wake again. It looks like his body has entered some sort of regenerative coma in some sort of last-ditch effort to heal. It means that the outer wounds close almost as soon as they’re made but I can’t get into the dead tissue that’s being poisoned by whatever that is.”

Poison.

Kolyat jerked as he had an idea. “Use poison.”

“What?”

“He couldn’t heal because of the poison--”

Chloe’s eyes widened and she turned towards her desk. “It would have to be strong without killing him. Maybe-- no. It needs to be more of--”

“A paralyzing agent.” Kolyat finished feeling that new sparkling of hope. “Drell. You need drell venom.”

“I’m not sure… we only get a small amount…” Chloe didn’t finish.

In the past they’d struggled to produce enough for even the darts they made and for any prolonged surgery they might need far more than Kolyat could give. Kolyat moved over to his father who lay peacefully. Older drell were more potent and usually had more to offer but the question was-- would his father consent. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant thing to purposefully harvest the toxin…

From the cot where he lay, Thane didn’t open his eyes as he spoke, “would two drell be sufficient?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAye... Ok, I forgot to post these. I didn't realize I hadn't finished posting all this. My bad. Next chapter should come SOON. I'll finish editing it tomorrow or so, yeah? Sorry for the wait!


	5. Chapter 5

 

Consciousness came like swimming up from the bottom of a river. He could hear things in a muffled and far away way first but the words had no meaning. Then he opened his eyes and it took a lot of blinking to get the film off his vision and for his eyes to focus.

“Dad?” Calamity leaned into view.

She’d been crying recently by the lingering puffiness to her eyes. A light was shone in his face, blocking his view. “Alright Mr Sawyer I need to make sure there isn’t any lasting damage-- dammit, Bones, stop trying to move--” Chloe moved the light away as she glared at him and continued, “we had to use some drell toxin on you. More than I would _ever_ recommend. I know your abilities mean you can heal but need to you do as I ask so I know there isn’t any after effects okay?”

Bones swallowed, trying to remember how to make words work.

“Okay, there is still some paralyzing effects going on so you probably can’t move much. Can you blink once if you understand?”

Bones blinked.

“Good. Now your throat may feel a little numb--” that seemed like an understatement-- “because we had to intubate you. Both to keep you breathing and to be able to administer the toxin to keep you from healing so there may be some lingering effects from that. Now, do you know who I am, who you are, and all that good stuff? One blink please.”

Bones blinked.

“Excellent. Can you move your toes?”

His feet didn’t seem to exist but he tried to move them and must have succeeded because Chloe continued. “Good. Okay, how about hands and fingers?”

His hand jerked and twitched but he could feel it.

It felt like Chloe had him moving or attempting to move various body parts for ages before she was satisfied with how the toxins were wearing off. After she’d given him a lengthy lecture she agreed to let the kids take him back to the apartment. To his surprise, it was Kolyat who offered to help him get back. As the kids swarmed off ahead, Kolyat let him take the hall one shaky step at a time as he gave an embarrassed apology. “Sorry to be such trouble. I guess the effects haven’t fully worn off.”

Kolyat shifted his grip, his hand splaying across Bones’ stomach as he asked, “You’re sure you don’t want me to carry you?”

“In Chloe’s own words, she thought that to encourage my regenerative capabilities it may be better to walk as often as I can manage though she’d never professionally recommended that a patent get up only hours after an operation,” Bones said before gripping Kolyat’s arm when his legs began to threaten betrayal. “Sorry, may we stop a moment?”

“Yeah. ...can I ask you a question?”

“I see no reason not to. It’s not as if I’m going anywhere.” Bones said with a chuckle, leaning into him and trying not to think too much on Kolyat’s hand placement or how butterflies seemed to flutter there. Though… he couldn’t tell if that was an after effect of the toxin or because of Kolyat.

“I-- would you--...” Kolyat looked away and Bones could tell that he was not going to ask whatever had been on his mind. “Uh, I was wondering what’s up with the color?”

“Color?” Bones glanced at his hand, “Oh. That’s easily fixed. Or...it will be. I’ve never been so injured that it’s lasted this long.”

“So it’s normal?”

“Unfortunately.” Bones said with a motion of his hand to signal that he was ready. He continued as they started once more down the hall, his voice only barely showing the strain, “Happens if I’m surprised or frightened too though that is usually more controllable. Sometimes with a partner.”

“Like others of your kind?”

“My kind?”

Kolyat’s tongue peeked nervously out as he licked his lips and looked away. “The kids told me about you not being human.”

He couldn’t help it as he gave a bark of laughter that was accompanied by a wince and he had to stop again until the pain subsided. “That,” he said bracing one hand against the wall, “isn’t quite right. I’m human. Well… for the most part.”

“So… half human?”

Bones waved a weak hand towards the door of the apartment, “let’s get inside and to the couch before I answer. I fear if I laugh again I may not be able to stay standing.”

They made it the last few steps in silence. When they got in the kids had already disappeared off to their rooms or to shower-- seemingly able to brush off the last few days excitement much easier than he was. The couch was like a blessed finish line and when he finally reached it, the reward of sitting down had never felt quite so sweet.

“Right,” he said with a sigh leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling, “so this will be very complicated but I will explain as best I can.”

The couch dipped as Kolyat settled nearby.

“I’m… I’m human. Just a human from another earth.”

“....right.” Kolyat’s tone was filled with sarcasm and apprehension.

Bones mustered up a shrug. “Let’s try again. Have you ever heard of the many-worlds theory?”

“You’re joking.”

“I am here, am I not?”

Kolyat was quiet. For a while, there was only the sound of breathing and a burble of water from the little fountain that Cael had picked out when they were looking for things to decorate the apartment. Eventually, Kolyat sighed and leaned forward, rubbing his face. “Okay. I guess I’ll bite.”

“Better reaction than I had.” Bones said with a grin before he sighed and continued. “Anyhow there isn’t and wasn’t anyone like me. Not exactly. There were other mutants but I don’t know of anyone that was exactly the same.”

“... so when you say partners…”

Bones tilted his head, looking at Kolyat out of the corner of his eyes. There were a few ways that he could take that question but he was beginning to suspect that there was something behind it. Perhaps it was too many years as a bartender. You tend to learn how to read people and what they don’t say fairly well. Of course, there was also the chance that he’d get it horribly wrong the way he’d done with the hanar.

 _Goddess, he was never living that down_. He focused his gaze back on the ceiling as he answered. “Lovers.”

He could hear a giggle from upstairs along with a shushing sound that explained where the kids had gone and likely why he hadn’t heard so much as a peep. Should have guessed. Well, if they weren’t going to interfere then he’d at least look at the potential waters or whatever the phrase was.

Bones sat up, flopping forward to lean his elbows on his knees as he eyed Kolyat. He tried to keep his voice neutral as he asked, “You ever date outside your species?”

“No,” Kolyat said and Bones could feel that familiar curl of disappointment until Kolyat shifted and continued in a tone that was a little too rushed, “I mean, not to say that I wouldn’t, I guess, but I’d-- I guess I’d never thought about it.”

 _Did you think about it when you asked for a kiss on the ship_? Bones thought as he watched Kolyat. That seemed too much to ask though. Too far. He felt that familiar guilty twist to his stomach for even thinking about it. Guilt for once again moving his thoughts away from Presto and guilt because he’d enjoyed it even though he knew the experience to be terrifyingly painful-- since it was similar to the feeling he put up with every time he healed someone.

Kolyat fidgeted, taking a breath a few times as if to speak but the silence lingered until a thump from upstairs jolted them both from whatever awkward reverie they’d slipped into.

“I-- I should go. Uh, check on my dad,” Kolyat said gesturing over his shoulder, “and get a bag packed.”

Bones didn’t try to stand as he looked up. “Bag?”

“Yeah… I-- it doesn’t feel right, you know? After what Haron did. Zaeed’s letting me crash on his ship for a while since he’s staying with my father.”

 _You could stay here_ , Bones thought but the words stuck so instead he forced a smile, “ah. I’ll, uh, let you go then. Thanks for helping me get home.”

“Yep,” Kolyat backed away with his own forced smile, “I-- yeah. I’m glad you’re alright. Night!”

“Night.” Bones said softly as Kolyat fled from the apartment like Bones had just grown another head.

He buried his face in his hands just as Calamity’s voice floated around the corner, “Really? You just let him go? Come oooon. Also, news flash, it’s o’ eight-hundred.”

“Thanks, Cali,” Bones called back, burying the conflicted feelings as best he could behind a smile, “if it’s eight and you’re so awake then I guess you’re feeling up for going to today’s classes?”

“Like hell.”

“That’s my girl.” He said with a laugh as he leaned back. _It was better this way. He had the kids… didn’t need more_.

 

Yeah.

 

~~~

 

Calamity kicked her heel against the floor as she waited for Bones to get out of the C-Sec office. He’d insisted on coming in and talking to Haron’s boss before exploring the presidium. As excited as she was for her first time visiting the ‘upper crust’ it didn’t feel right to go on ahead to one of the nearby parks with Cael and Niia. More-so because Calamity still worried that Bones would push himself too hard and no one would be there if he fell or something stupid.

At the end of the hall, the asari receptionist looked in on her again and Calamity gave a sarcastic wave. Though Calamity had agreed to keep up a more inconspicuous act while they were in the C-Sec headquarters she still delivered a small rebellious kick to the nearby planter once the receptionist disappeared. It wasn’t that she was mad at the asari-- the lady had been perfectly eerily nice-- or even mad that Bones had insisted on coming here-- though she was a _little_ peeved-- but it was more like she was angry that Bones was pretending things were normal.

Things had never been normal though she’d sometimes pretended that they were like a family from one of the movies she’d snuck into air ducts to watch when she was younger. She didn’t even _want_ to have a ‘normal’ family like that. Bones was better than anything the movies had offered. He gave them space and never asked them to change. Of course, he never really _tried_ to change either and that was what really got under her skin.

He’d agreed to use the cane Chloe had brought, but he still pretended like things were fine just the same way he had when Calamity had first found him in that alley. _I’ll live_. He’d said that, not with confidence but more like… like the way people regarded dying. Like he was afraid of it. Hated it.

“--ali? Earth to beantown--” Bones’ hand waved in front of her face and she jerked.

“Shhhhh--itake mushrooms,” she adjusted her curse as she caught sight of the C-sec officer still looking at them from in his office, “you done?”

Bones nodded, moving his grip back to leaning on the cane. “All good. Officer Bailey seemed very… understanding. So, didn’t feel like going with Cael?”

She shrugged and lied. “Don’t see anything great about a bunch of birds.”

“Really?--” _Ah, here it came, the funniest thing about Bones if she was honest._ He made a little gesture with his free hand-- “It’s a space station and it has alien birds that you can feed and a park that you can just _wander_ and you don’t find that cool?”

“You say that about everything--” _and he really did_ \-- “don’t you ever get tired of it?”

Bones stopped, looking up at the projected ceiling of blue skies and sunlight. Still staring at it, she could see him grinning as he said, “Nope.” He was too excited as he asked, “did you know the ceiling is actually just artificial?”

“Duh.”

“Calamity--” he got that tone as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye-- “Calamity. Calamity. Cali-bean.”

“What?”

“You think it’s cool. Admit it.”

She couldn’t help but grin. His cheer was like one of those itchy rashes you’d get if you went too far into the lower station tubes. Inevitable. “Fine. I think it’s cool. _But_ \--” she held up a finger for emphasis-- “they keep all the sunshine and lights up here for all the bigwigs and there are parts of the lower wards that aren’t even fixed since the attack. I can be mad about it too.”

“ _Touche_. A valid point,” Bones said with a sober nod as they stepped into the elevator next to what looked to be an Elcor dignitary. “But while we’re here, did you have anywhere you wanted to visit?”

She did. She also knew there was no way they could afford it since Bones hadn’t been going to work for the past week and still probably would be taking longer to recover-- if he ever actually did. They had savings and the apartment was prepaid for the next year but that didn’t stop her from worrying about beyond that.  “Uh… no.”

He tilted his head, doing the glance out of the corner of his eyes that always let on that he knew she was lying. She hoped he would change the conversation and he must of picked up on it because he said, “I visited Thane’s yesterday… Zaeed mentioned you flew the ship?”

Aw, shit. She’d almost wished he _hadn’t_ changed the topic. Money worries were familiar. This… less so. She shrugged, trying to keep her face neutral. “So?”

Bones shifted, leaning against the rail of the elevator as he adjusted his grip on the cane. “Said you made a jump on your own…”

He was prompting. Waiting for her to join into the conversation and maybe tell him about what a ‘jump’ actually was and babble the way Cael did if you got him started on something, yet still offering a chance to bail out if she didn’t want to bite. At least there _was_ a chance until the nearby elcor dignitary spoke, “Curious: are you one of the students to the Grissom Academy here on vacation?”

She could feel her cheeks getting warm as she scuffed a foot. “Uhm. No. ...I’ve heard they have a really good flight program though.”

The elcor nodded with a very slow dip of his head. “In agreement: I have met several students and all seem quite exceptional. Mildly impressed: To make a jump on your own must mean you have considerable talent. If you are ever looking for a sponsor, come speak to me in the embassy.”

Calamity stood stunned, only half aware that Bones was making polite conversation and exchanging contact info before the elcor left. As Bones used his hip the nudge her out of the elevator and get her walking, he asked, “So… this academy…”

She was pretty sure her heart was still lodged in her ears as she tried to not sound excited. “It’s a school for the best of the best. It’s even got a really great biotic program. It’s… uhm… really expensive though. People usually need at least one sponsor plus passing the entrance tests to get in.”

He rested his cane nearby and squatted down in front of her. Using his good hand, he lifted up the curls of hair from her face as he asked, “This have anything to do with the game you’re always playing? The pilot one?”

“It’s… actually a flight simulator.”

His smile seemed a little sad as he asked, “Do you want to go? To this academy?”

Calamity looked away, pulling back enough that her curtain of curls could hide her face again as she scuffed her foot. “No.”

“... okay. But if you change your mind, Axdain said the next entrance exams are beginning of next month and he’s quite serious about sponsoring you.”

 _Next month?_ “I--” _want to go_. She didn’t say it. Instead, she took a deep breath, “uhm, they need a lot of papers. Birthdates and stuff. It’s too much of a hassle.”

“What if,” he had that crafty smile-- the one that let her know he was finding a way around her bullshit, “we made an appointment to get each of you age tested. The school was asking for those papers anyhow and you can think about what you want to do after that?”

She nodded, her mind buzzing with the possibles. The biggest problem was that if she left then he’d never take care of himself. Not that he really needed her but she kinda liked to think she helped. And then there was the fact that Cael and Niia would walk all over him. He’d let himself get lost to just having his life revolve around them but kids leave eventually… He’d be alone and he’d do that ‘dog at home’ thing where he just waited for people to come back. ...But… she wanted to go. She’d wanted to go to Grissom since she’d seen the first advert but she’d never thought it would be a possibility. At best she’d hoped to be a freighter captain or someshit but this…

Bones struggled back to his feet and leaned on his cane as they started off again. “So, the brochure--”

“No way,” she said with a grimace, “we’re not following that presidium visitors brochure. That shi-- stuff is only for idiot tourists.”

“Okay then brainy-bean, where should we eat that has good food for both Levo and Dextro?” He said smugly.

Too smugly. Something was up. Calamity stared at him with a tight-lipped glare before starting up her omnitool and typing in a search. It wasn’t too long before she had a few options. “There’s supposed to be a place next to the park--”

“Joy’s Palace?”

“...it’s in the brochure, isn’t it?”

Bones laughed.

“Damn it. ...fine. The reviews say they’ve got three types of veggie burgers.”

“And sweet potato fries.”

“Those are disgusting though. And fake.”

“It’s a space station. Everything’s kinda fake-- also we can agree to disagree, c’mon, I think I see Cael in that massive cluster of birds… how much feed did he get?”

“All of it?” Calamity suggested as they wandered in that direction.

Cael had used to keep a small plant in their favorite tunnel till a keeper took it. It had looked a lot like the one from Thane’s apartment and she wondered if it was actually the same type or not. At the time she’d been too worried to ask and too intimidated to try and steal it for Cael who she’d been afraid she might never see again. Since moving into a real home though, Bones had helped Cael pick out a few more plants and their apartment was slowly starting to feel like it had more green than she’d seen in the whole of the lower wards.

As they got there, Cael looked up with an excited expression. “Dad. Look, Mr. Adradus got the whole flock to come down.”

Bones sank onto the nearby bench. Calamity could see the little pain wrinkle around his eyes-- he’d pushed himself too much again-- but he was smiling brightly as he said, “They’re pretty awesome. Seems a little strange to keep birds on a space station though.”

“It’s because they’re like,” Cael paused searching for an explanation that Bones could follow, “they’re like bees. And whales. You know how bees help pollinate right?”

“I do. But how are they like whales?”

Cael nudged one of the birds, causing it to flap and reveal the fine feathery spines on the underside of its wings. “See? It’s like a whales teeth thing but when they fly they collect pollen. They’re the reason we can have flowering plants from different places. Without them, we’d have to be wearing bio-suits.”

“But,” the nearby groundskeeper-- Mr. Adradus-- said with a happy flick of his mandibles, “groundskeepers do have to be careful around the different plants and take preventative measures when working with ones opposite our species. You must be this bright lad’s father.”

Bones nodded, giving a small bow from where he sat.

“Have to admit-- after meeting little Niia I’d assumed you were a turian,” Adradus said, leaning against the nearby planter like he wasn’t being an insulting ass.

Bones didn’t seem to mind but Calamity began to wonder how mad Cael would be if she flipped the groundskeeper off. Probably better if she didn’t. He’d been crying a lot since she’d punched him and though she didn’t really regret it-- he’d deserved it-- she did regret Niia getting mad at him too.

“Really?” Bones asked, his smile still bright.

Adradus made a motion at his own face, “the clan markings.”

Oh. That actually made sense. She still thought he was an ass but it probably had something to do with being a plant nerd more than something malicious. As Bones and Adradus continued their conversation about clan markings and then getting different plants from different planets to grow in roughly the same place, Calamity wandered over to where Cael and Niia were watching the birds.

They _were_ cool. Even she had to admit it. Cael had been talking about them all morning though once Bones told them where they were headed. With all the talk, she’d been a little burned out on the idea of feeding them but looking at them now and watching as they did that stupid tongue thing into the cups of fake-pollen-bird food-stuff… worth it.

After a few minutes, Niia came over and tugged Calamity’s hand, getting her to kneel down before she whispered quietly, “Can we go eat?”

Calamity nodded and gestured to Bones. “Dad? Can we go eat?”

He nodded, excusing himself from the conversation to begin the struggle to stand. Calamity knew he didn’t want help-- he’d asked that they let him do it on his own-- but as she watched him struggle it was hard to clamp down on offering. Once he was up, he tilted his head towards the nearby restaurant and asked, “Cael? We’re heading to eat. You wanna come?”

Cael, still squatted next to one of the birds, chewed his bottom lip. “Can you order for me and I’ll come over later?”

“Course,” Bones said with an understanding nod and a gesture towards the restroom, “But you might want to wash your hands.”

Cael nodded before returning to his own happy little world of birds and plants as he picked up a new and too enthusiastic conversation with Mr Adradus about… whatever it was.

The restaurant wasn’t too bad for a tourist trap on the most popular presidium park. Sunlight lamps. Happy families. Even the food was surprisingly tolerable but it all felt a little too… artificial. Good place to visit but she felt like she might go a little mad with this much bright light, squeaky clean everything, and false cheer.

They wandered after eating, visiting a few avina terminals till Calamity noticed that Bones was looking tired. “We should sit,” she said pouncing on a nearby bench before a wandering salarian could claim it, “My feet hurt.”

Bones flopped down with a grunt. “Hate to say it but I think we should head home soon. Have another errand to run.”

“Yeah?” Cael leaned forward, “You didn’t mention doing anything else today.”

Bones leaned his elbows on his knees, twining his hands together the way he did whenever he had to talk about something he didn’t like. “I planned to talk to Haron.”

Oh.

Calamity scowled at the nearby tree and the lake just beyond it. “Why?”

“Well--” _by the tone, she could tell this was going to be one of those ‘too reasonable and too damn nice’ talks that he sometimes gave_ \-- “I wanted to see if he was okay. Chloe has been staying at the clinic and Kolyat on Zaeed’s ship--”

“He deserves it,” Cael grumbled slouching on the bench.

“Maybe. Maybe not. I decided to forgive him though. It… he was a good friend and I’m not sure I want to give that up though I don’t think there will be the same level of trust for a while.”

“Does that mean we have to visit him when you do?” Calamity asked, suddenly thinking that maybe going to Grissom wasn’t such a terrible idea.

“No. I--” Bones slid off the bench and shifted to kneel in front of them after scooching Niia into his spot. His face was surprisingly serious as he said, “Listen. My forgiving Haron for what he did is what my own decision is. That doesn’t mean you have to make the same one. Nobody can tell you how to feel about someone. How you feel is a very personal thing. You can choose to forgive or you can choose not to. Whatever you decide though it’s important that you don’t let it become something toxic. ...If you want, you never have to interact with Haron as a friend ever again. You sometimes may have to see him or need to speak to him because there is an emergency but if you decide to close him off from your life and your friendship I will respect that. It’s up to each of you to decide what works for you personally. Okay?”

“So… we can choose not to?” Calamity asked, tucking her legs up onto the bench as the others shifted in their own thoughts.

Bones nodded. “You can. You can also take a lot longer to decide. Just remember that this is your choice and if someone tells you to change your mind-- you can ask me to tell them to back off or even do it yourself okay? Never let someone undermine your decision when it comes to something personal.”

 

~~~

Kolyat was picking up a few necessities, shoving them into his bag and getting ready to sneak back out the way he’d come when the door chime made him freeze. His first instinct was to head for it but the fact that Haron didn’t know he was there stopped him. Haron shuffled in the kitchen, dragging himself from the miserable passed out huddle that Kolyat had spied on his way in and apparently opened the door.

“Bones?” Haron’s voice flangled with surprise and Kolyat couldn't help but peek out to see.

Bones stood at the door, leaning heavy on the cane that Chloe had mentioned giving him. He looked… better. He wasn’t the well-muscled machine that Kolyat had first met but he definitely looked better than after the surgery. More-so since all his color had returned to normal.

“Haron,” Bones said with a nod. Before holding up a takeaway bag, “mind having dinner with me?”

Haron didn’t move, though Kolyat knew the poor bastard probably hadn't had anything but truly impressive amounts of alcohol. “I don’t-- I-- shouldn’t you be with the kids?”

“Actually, I was hoping to talk to you. I also was worried you--” Bones gestured with short raise of his cane and a smile-- “ well, that you haven’t been eating. May I come in? I’m afraid standing for long periods is a little difficult.”

Haron backed away and Bones limped through and over to the couch. Now that he was awake, Kolyat could see the dirty tint to the turian’s plates and sour coloring to his skin that came with lack of sleep. The only time he’d seen Haron in a state close to this was when Chloe had caught a cold from the clinic and spent the better part of a week in bed.

Rubbing a hand over his fringe Haron muttered in a bitter tone, “I don’t know why it’s _you_ who’s coming over to check on me. You probably hate me.”

Bones paused in his setting stuff out on the coffee table and Kolyat had to edge farther into the hallway to see his expression. He looked sad. Contemplative. Eventually, he spoke as he resumed separating out the dextro and Levo foods from the bag,  “I have found that it’s easy when you don’t know someone to forget they’re a person.”

He might have well just stabbed Haron by the soft whine the turian gave as he sat on one of the chairs. “Spirits. I’m such an ass.”

“Yes,” Bones said now picking at his food, “but unless you no longer wish it, we’re still friends.”

 _Why?_ Kolyat wondered as he stared at Bones from where he hid. The man was using a cane. Limping. Could have died. In fact, Kolyat’s father could have died-- they ALL could have died because of Haron planting evidence and then trying to keep it covered. Yet here Bones was, making sure Haron ate and visiting as if… as if they were friends.

Haron just stared dumbly. “But… why?” he eventually asked. “Why are you… I don’t understand.”

Bones set down his fork and stared hard at Haron, his expression so similar to Thane’s typical neutral that it was almost eerie. “Haron, you messed up and to be quite honest what you did hurt. I don’t mean physically either. Even then I value your friendship and after some thought, I decided that I’d like to try again assuming we were ever friends--”

“We weren’t. ...at first,” Haron said ducking his head. “But… I thought we were starting to be.”

Nodding, Bones pointed towards one of the dishes, “try that one. It’s quite good. I think you’d like it.”

_What?_

Haron twitched seemingly having the same thought, “I can’t eat--”

“It’s dextro. Don’t worry. I… well I can’t do it anymore but I was able to eat dextro. It takes a little more effort to heal now than I can manage. Still, made it easier to taste some of the drink mixes that I’ve been working on.”

“Oh,” Haron said before slowly reaching over and dragging the bowl towards himself, “So… you used to eat dextro? To what, see how it tasted?”

“Yes. Helped with the few meals I’ve cooked for Niia too. I’ve always been curious how you manage to cook both.”

And with that they were talking about food and cooking based off smell as if nothing was wrong. For a time Kolyat lingered, missing his evenings with Haron and Chloe while still being too angry to actually step out. He was about to go when Bones set down his empty bowl and folded his hands with a dangerously serious expression. “I’m afraid there is something that we also need to discuss. Or… I’m going to tell you and I need you to respect and work around it as best you can.”

Even from far away, Kolyat could see Haron tense before Bones continued, “Niia has expressed a disinterest in forgiving you. If she’s with me during a visit in the future I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask that you don’t interact with her except on a professional capacity.” He leaned back his gloved hands spreading with an apologetic shrug. “From what I’ve read, this actually follows a turian custom--”

“Yeah. It’s-- yeah.” Haron said, slumping. “I… understand.”

“The other kids have yet to make up their minds so I’d like you to treat it similarly until they do.”

“Okay. ...thanks for telling me.”

Bones’ head dipped in a nod. “Mhm. ...how are you doing by the way?”

Haron laughed, sounding more like he was about to start keening. “Ancestors. You’re-- I can’t believe you’re asking _me_ when you’re the one limping with a cane.”

“To be fair that’s more my own fault and technically some of that is from the salarian and not--” he made a small vague wave with his hand-- “from this newest adventure.”

“Adventure. I-- spirits-- I’m such an asshole. I don’t know what to do.”

Bones leaned forward- the dim lighting playing off his face and making him look almost sinister as he spoke, “Haron, everyone makes mistakes. It’s what you learn from them and who you are afterward that matters most. You can sit here and repeat the guilt in a palatable phrase if you want or you can try to heal the damage and rebuild. I’m offering you a chance to rebuild with _me_ but it’s up to you to find the other theoretical flames and put them out. Frankly speaking-- sitting in a dark apartment, avoiding your shifts at work, and drinking yourself into a stupor is a perfectly valid option if you want things to remain as they are or get worse.”

“How do you know I’ve missed my shifts?”

“I spoke with Bailey today,” Bones shifted pulling a datadisk out of his jacket and passing it over, “he asked that I pass this along and to let you know that he’s been logging the absences as vacation days since you had some built up.”

“You… spoke to him?”

Bones nodded, collecting the Levo stuff from the table and packing it away into the bag. “I did. And I expressed an interest in continuing to work anonymously for C-Sec as long as he was willing to continue to overlook my activities.”

“Your activities? ...You mean--?”

“As the White Smile I’ve sworn not to kill anyone,” Bones said as he stood, “and to report any repeat offenders that I come across to you since you are now ‘officially’ my handler. ...It was the least I could do for Kolyat and you. I was hoping that it might help smooth things between you two.”

“You think he’d forgive me?”

Bones limped over and gave Haron’s shoulder a squeeze. “I don’t know. You made a truly, truly painful mistake that got people hurt-- myself included--  but I think a good first step is to apologize... and, uh, shower. Just remember, it’s his decision to forgive or not. The same goes for Chloe. Just take things one day at a time.”

Kolyat backed down the hallway as Bones headed for the door. The last few days had been… well, whatever they were, but now Kolyat felt as if he had quite a lot to think over and some decisions of his own to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that marks the end of this arc! Thanks for reading! I love yall! More to come!
> 
> Also, a note-- I wrote this for myself mostly back when I started it. (This story really has been on the shelf for awhile.) I've had a lot going on these last couple years and sometimes you need to sit down and think about if you want to keep trying to have a relationship with someone or if they're just... someone you can't have in your life anymore. Remember that love doesn't always have reasoning. You can love someone who is, honestly, a horrible person. Love (platonic and romantic) is funny that way. Having to step away from someone and cut them out of your life doesn't mean you don't love them (in fact it hurts quite a lot because you DO love them) but you also need to remember to love and look out for yourself. Take care of yourselves kiddos and remember that no one can force you to 'forgive' someone if that someone does something to hurt you. Don't hold onto that pain they caused but remember that you don't have to have them stay in your life.
> 
> (OH also-- next arc coming soon! We're coming up to the end of stuff I'd pre-written ages back sadly so... I should go write, right? :P )


End file.
